One of the things I would never wish on my worst enemy is sickness, let alone being incapacitated and unable to do anything. Sickness is not a good thing. It can make people completely inactive and unable to carry out their daily responsibilities. It is something that can render a person helpless, leaving them to spend money on treatment when they should be doing something meaningful with their lives.
One of the things I dislike most about sickness is that it does not affect only the person who is ill. It also affects everyone around them, whether directly or indirectly. A sick person often cannot do many things for themselves. They have to be helped around and assisted with even the simplest tasks.
Another challenge is the financial burden it places on both the sick person and their relatives. If family members are unable to raise money for treatment, it becomes even more difficult to cope with the situation. It is truly sad, and I would never wish sickness on anyone.
It was on Thursday last week that I heard someone close to me could not stand up. I immediately wondered what could have caused it. At that moment, I was far away and could not take her to the hospital myself. So, I suggested that she contact her workplace since she had been unable to report for duty that day. Fortunately, with the help of one of her colleagues, she was able to get to the hospital before I arrived.
At the hospital, a series of tests was carried out, although there was no clear explanation of what had happened. She had been complaining of severe back pain. She had initially visited a Primary Health Centre, from where she was referred to the General Hospital. The doctors requested an X-ray to determine the cause of the problem. After she was given some injections, she became calmer, and we were able to return home. We were asked to come back for the X-ray result, which was scheduled for Monday.
As we left the hospital, it was almost the time secondary school students would be closing for the day. We saw many students crossing the road. Beside me was the boss of the lady I had been talking about. He lamented the uncertain future awaiting these children because there seems to be no meaningful plan from the government to integrate them into the economy.
Just recently, the First Lady suggested that people should consider frying akara and selling kulikuli. It is as though we do not know what we are doing as a nation. It is no longer funny. While other nations are preparing for the next phase of the Industrial Revolution and advancing rapidly in the era of Artificial Intelligence (AI), we still seem to be moving backwards.
What kind of jobs will these students do after they finish school? It is a shame that we have found ourselves in this situation. At this rate, how do we expect to reduce crime? Meanwhile, the number of religious institutions continues to increase every day, as though they are the only solution to the challenges confronting us as a nation. When will we finally get it right?
A nation that fails to invest in and provide opportunities for its younger generation risks losing its future to others. As things stand, we are truly at a crossroads.
