Deaths in Medical Faculty Caused by Stress - says Nnamani Chiemerie

We have heard about the deaths of more than 4 students in the medical faculty, this year alone. Apart from the one that happened 2 weeks ago, which was as a result of autocrash, the other deaths were caused by illness. The question is, why is this sort of illness peculiar to the medical faculty? The answer to this question is unknown, but hypothesis might do us a lot of good in this investigation.

Statistics show that scientists are yet to unravel all the effects of stress, but from theories available, it is widely accepted that stress kills faster than most terminal ailments. Not only does stress and lack of sleep bring down the body immune system,consider the following:

• Forty-three percent of all adults suffer adverse health effects from stress.


• Seventy-five percent to 90% of all doctor's office visits are for stress-related ailments and complaints.


• Stress can play a part in problems such as headaches, high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, skin conditions, asthma, arthritis, depression, and anxiety.


• The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) declared stress a hazard of the workplace. Stress costs American industry more than $300 billion annually.


• The lifetime prevalence of an emotional disorder is more than 50%, often due to chronic, untreated stress reactions.

With the above data in perspective, do I hear anyone asking how this relates to the medical faculty? The medical faculty is a house of stress and overwork. Local statistics show that out of every 5 students doing Nightclass in UNEC, 2 or 3 of them are medical students. Even in Coscharis, which belongs to the law faculty, 80 percent of the books you will find there belong to medical students. Still not satisfied? Medical students do not go on strike! They are still in session since July 1st that we all went home to enjoy our ASUU Strike. Coupled with that, holdiays are rare for them, and when holidays actually come, they last for weeks.

I believe that the medical students and the teachers know best about the effects of stress on the body and the truism in the adage that says that "Health is Wealth", it is thus ironical that they are most often the culprits in this regard.

Nnamani Chiemerie J.