INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Health is a state of complete physical mental and social well-being

and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity World Health

Organisation (WHO 1948). By this definition it implies that for an

individual to be called a healthy person he/she has to satisfy the

following as explained by Onu (2003).

Physical Health: Refers to appearance and physique of the

individual. Everybody appreciates being born without any

handicapping condition the physical health of an individual is very

important to him/her one with impaired physical health does not

achieve his maximum capacity. The army police nursing and

most professions do not recruit an individual who is not physically

healthy.

Mental Health: This is concerned with how one adjust to life

events whether good or bad. Mental health is the ability to live

comfortably with one’s self and others to understand and to

accept one’s feelings and to make mature decisions. Some of the

factors that can affect one’s health mentality include Biological or

Genetic Socio-economic Psychological Ethnic background Social

background and Family relationship factors. Sound mental health

is an asset to the individual hence it should be maintained to the

maximum at all levels in one’s life. Any adverse effect on the

mental health gradually affects the physical and social health of an

individual.

Social Health: One’s social health is important to him/her and to

other people too. The social environment of man like family

village culture educational system etc. contributes to his social

health. Social influence can affect health positively or negatively

social health is important and becomes vital during old age.

A healthy nation is a wealthy nation and for a nation to be

declared healthy it starts with the individual then the community and

the country at large. this can only be achieved in a peaceful and

violence free communities.

Violent conflicts or crisis pose a challenge to human civilization

human health and the health care delivery systems. Epidemiological

studies indicate that war/crisis ranks among the top ten causes of death

worldwide. Populations affected by armed conflict experience severe

public health consequences mediated by population displacement food

scarcity and the collapse of basic health services which together often

give rise to complex humanitarian emergencies. Conflict has both direct

and indirect effects on people’s health and on the overall health system.

Armed conflicts can also cause the displacement of people and an

increase in infectious diseases (Devkota and Teijlingen 2010).

This conflicts/crisis has effects on the population’s health as well

as the health workers and the health care delivery system. Many health

post in the prone areas were destroyed more than a dozen health

workers had been killed kidnapped or threatened. These often

aggravate the already poor health services as many health centres

operates without health staff it also hinders health programmes

implemented by non-governmental organization (NGOs).

Nigeria as a nation has had her own share of crisis. In her fifty

one (51) years of post-independence life Nigeria has witnessed a 30

months fratricidal civil war long-drawn years of military coups and

imposed ruler ship years of political agitation by the National

Democratic Coalition (NADECO) and pro-democracy groups persisting

agitations by the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP)

violent agitation by various Niger Delta groups including the famous

movement for the Emancipation of Niger-Delta (MEND) agitations by

the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra

(MASSOB) and lately the Boko Haram insurgence in the North. Along

with these violent agitations frequently violent inter and intra communal

feuds have become common placed with the attendant morbidity and

mortality and devastating toll on the barely existing infrastructure in the

affected communities.

Plateau state has been racked by sectarian crises and confusion for

over ten (10) years. The state reputed for its legendary “peace and

tourism” is sarcastically been referred to by public observers and

commentators as a city of “pieces and terrorism”. Jos encountered the

demon of ethno-religious crises which has done severe damage to the

state and its traumatized people the state has been nicknamed

generally with war torn nations. Some call it Afghanistan some

Somalia some Israel some Pakistan and some Niger Delta of Northern

Nigeria. Jos has therefore attracted attention to itself from diverse

religious interest and divides as it is seen as the unofficial centre of

Christianity in the north. It is also the national headquarters of the

Jama’atu Izalatu Bidah na Ikamatu Sunnah (JIBWIS) The light of truth

(Grail message) and many others. This partly explains the strong

interest for the control of Jos by these faiths.

Jos first experience a violent ethno-religious crisis in September 7

2001 which broke its innocence as a religiously tolerant state. Since

then it has lost its once calm and peaceful state (Williams 2009). The

September 2002 panel report has it that thousands were killed churches

and mosques torched business premises vandalized and set ablaze.

The health sector most especially Plateau Specialist Hospital had it rough

at that time being the first of its kind fear and panic could not allow the

workers concentrate; the few that were bold were overshadowed by

victims with various degrees of wounds. Some who need extensive care

gave up in the hospital because of lack of attention (Philip 2001).

Another crisis shook the town of Jos on the 16th November 2008.

Some read political factor to it others see it as having religious and even

economic reasons. The crisis began shortly after statewide local

government council elections which were considered by some as

peaceful free and fair. Security reports and situations before the

elections in Jos had advised that the election be postponed till a more

convenient date some others had reasoned that their continuous

disenfranchisement was only fitting and convenient for the state

government who had been accused of biases even before the polls. It

was while awaiting the announcement of the result that trouble broke

out in what started as a minor skirmish engulfed Jos almost

simultaneously this sent wrong signals that the crisis had already been

planned and expected. The crisis lasted four days leaving its trail loss of

lives and property the carnage was enormous example of the losses as

captured by Kadala (2008) include the burning down of the business

centers of two prominent car dealers worth six hundred and thirty

million naira (N630000000.00). A number of petrol stations belonging

to Muslims at Farin Gada ward of Jos metropolis were also razed to the

ground during the riots. The exact number of casualties became

another source of problem between the Christians and Muslims as claims

and counter claims beclouded the actual number of victims but the

Human Rights Watch (2008) report says seven hundred (700) people

were killed in the central city of Jos after council polls.

In Plateau State Specialist Hospital the authorities having

experience such in the past quickly make arrangement for assistance

from the Red Cross Society the National Emergency Management

Agency (NEMA) and the State Government for the provision of drugs

and other consumables. The Red Cross availed some of their members

for the hospital services and the evacuation of corpses for mass burial.

On the 17th January 2010 another crisis erupted in Jos what

began as isolated disagreements in Nasarawa area the city was again

engulfed in a major orgy of killings mayhem and wanton destruction of

houses and business premises. An imminent national calamity became

rife and palpable as governors from other states sent buses to convey

their people out of Jos. Police statement put the number of casualties at

three hundred and twenty six (326). The Red Cross Society of Nigeria

noted more than eight thousand (8000) refugees in Toro local

government area of Bauchi state. The carnage of 2010 left more

devastation than the previous crisis.

In the same year 2010 there was a bomb blast on Christmas eve

in Jos. Datong (2010) in a paper presented on management of victims in

crisis situation stated that during the 2010 Christmas eve bomb blast in

Jos some of the victims were rushed to Plateau State Specialist

Hospital doctors and other health workers on duty had a hectic night

trying to save as many as they could. Some had their two feet

amputated others had to let go their arms while doctors had to force

back some intestines that had freely bulged out of torn abdomens. The

authorities of the hospital had to call the doctors and other health

workers that were on Christmas break to cut short their break and

return to work as the available hands could not attend to the increasing

number of affected victims being brought to the hospital.

Statement of the Problem

Ethno-religious conflicts/crisis has become a thorn in the flesh of

most developing nations Nigeria inclusive. It is now a leading cause of

the increase in morbidity and mortality rates in Nigeria. In Plateau state

this has constituted a major problem as its health implication on the

people (health workers inclusive) are glaring in every aspect it has lead

to the death of many as each time it strikes hundreds are killed

thousand injured and many rendered homeless. It has led to the

upsurge of refugee camps in various security outpost within and outside

the metropolis some have even migrated to the neighboring states

these camps harbor children adults and the elderly both healthy and

unhealthy as a result outbreak of emerging and re-emerging diseases

associated with overcrowding and poor refuse disposal such as measles

cholera chicken pox tuberculosis sexually transmitted diseases etc.

are found in such places thereby increasing the disease burden on the

already overstretched healthcare facilities in the hospitals. The crisis has

also brought pain to many loss of properties worth millions of naira

destruction of life psychological trauma sickness of various degree to

many people even socio-economic activities has dropped drastically.

The health workers of Plateau State Specialist Hospital are not

spared of the effects of this crisis as most of them live outside the

hospital vicinity due to insufficient accommodation some are living in

the so called “no go area” others displaced from their homes and so find

it difficult to come to work. Public transportation are grounded thereby

making mobility difficult even those with personal cars have no fuel

because of closed filing stations. The little manpower available are

faced with the task of caring for the wounded without adequate safety

precautions insufficient drugs and consumables contracting infectious

diseases (nosocomial infections) inadequate wards to admit

patients/victims that need extra care shortage of mortuary facilities to

preserve corpses etc.

These has prompted the researcher to look into the health

implications of ethno-religious crises among health workers of Plateau

State Specialist Hospital Jos.

Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of the study is to find out the health

implications of ethno-religious crisis among health workers in plateau

state specialist hospital specifically the study will:

i. Find out the health implications of the crisis among health workers

of Plateau State Specialist Hospital Jos (PSSH).

ii. Determine ways to manage/reduce such implications among health

workers of PSSH Jos.

Significance of the Study

The research work if completed successfully will be of great

importance to the medical and health workers as it will make them be

on the alert to tackle medical emergencies and the increase disease

burden as a result of the aftermath of the crisis.

It will also be of important to the policy makers and health

planners by helping them in planning their budgets in relation to

unprecedented circumstances.

To the researchers in this field this will add to the volume of

articles/materials to be used for further studies or research.

Research Questions

i. What are the health implications of ethno-religious crises among

health workers?

ii. What are the ways to curb these implications among health

workers?

Delimitation of the Study

The focus of this study is to find out the health implications of

ethno-religious crises among health workers of the Plateau State

Specialist Hospital Jos. The scope covers the health implications and

ways to manage or reduce such implications among health workers.