National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has lambasted the United States government over the death of a Nigerian student, Effiong Bassey (COVID-19 patient) who died in their territory due to claims of negligence.
The sister of the deceased, Asari earlier disclosed Effiong was turned down on several occasions for COVID-19 test, even after showing symptoms at the Kalamazoo area of Michigan.
Effiong who is a final year student of Chemical Engineering at West Michigan University was due to graduate in a couple of weeks before he was snatched by the cold cruel hands of death.
NANS accused US government of racial discrimination, alleging the nation’s health practitioners denied Bassey of the necessary medical tests which led to his untimely death.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Association’s Vice President Comrade Raymond Ojo.
“It saddens our heart to read of the death of one of us in the diaspora, Bassey Effiong, who died as a result of sheer negligence of health workers in the US.
“It is totally embarrassing to read of the death of Bassey, who is meant to be a graduate any moment from now, whose death occurred as a result of lack of proper care and medical treatment.
“Despite the fact that those suspected of contracting Coronavirus are meant to be given proper and adequate medical treatment, health workers in the US based on reasons best known to them failed to allow Bassey undergo the necessary tests as he had requested, an action which led to his failure to get the necessary medical treatments, which eventually led to his death.
“This was particularly saddening and obviously against the vision of the founding fathers of the United States who believed that all men were born free and equal.
“This action in entirety was condemnable and shows the level of discrimination and the nonchalant attitude of these health workers to persons of colour.
“This action brings to the fore the memories of the dark days of segregation even though the policy has ended about five decades ago. It is a reflection of the rising tide of racial division in a country seen as the leading advocate of freedom and inequality.
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Saddened by the avoidable situation that caused Bassey’s demise, NANS called on the federal government to evacuate all Nigerian students from US soil in order to prevent more deaths.
“We urge the authorities of the United States to investigate this matter and we advocate for a comprehensive policy to prevent people of other colours not only Nigerians but Africans, black Americans, Latinos and others being discriminated against in this period of a health emergency.”