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Tag: General Hospital

  • How pregnant woman, two others died in general hospital over doctors’ absence

    How pregnant woman, two others died in general hospital over doctors’ absence

    The Kuje General Hospital, located in one of the satellite towns of Abuja, on Saturday assumed the semblance of a graveyard as a pregnant woman in labour and two mildly-ill children lost their lives.

    This follows the complete absence of doctors to attend to their medical emergencies.

    Patients at the hospital were left to their own fates to either seek help at private hospitals whose services are at high prices or remain there hoping to see a doctor come to their aid.

    The hospital which is supposed to commence clinical services at 8: am was filled with patients and their relations before 8 o’clock.

    However, as at 4 pm when our correspondent visited the hospital, there was no doctor on ground to attend to them, except an already exhausted doctor on call who was visibly overwhelmed by the enormity of the challenges before him. 

    Patients who had been waiting since 7 am, and were given numbers preparatory to seeing the doctor on call said a mildly-ill child of about 22 months died around 11 am at the emergency unit while the doctor was away.

    An eyewitness account revealed that as at the time the doctor on call, Dr. Peter Napoleon arrived the emergency room to attend to the child, it was already too late. 

    At the maternity ward, an unnamed woman in labour also died with her pregnancy due to the absence of doctors to perform a cesarean section on her in time.

    Asked why he left his duty post since despite the presence of many patients needing medical care, Dr. Napoleon responded saying that he needed to go and get food, and that he had been working for more than 24 hours and therefore needed some rest.

    Other eyewitnesses, though not happy with the situation, expressed sympathy for the doctor whom they said had been the only one attending to patients in all the wards and units since Friday night.

    “Let us all have pity on the doctor because he’s also a human being. He has been the only one attending to patients and nobody to assist him. He could break down as well, and who will treat him when that happens,” a woman whose child is on admission, and who pleaded anonymity said.

    A certain Dr. Festus was said to have been the one in charge of the maternity ward, and who should have handled the pregnant woman’s case, but he was nowhere to be found within the hospital.

    The second in command at the hospital, Dr. Bernadine Odukoye has been alleged to be the person responsible for the situation due to her unfair distribution of duties to the doctors. 

    Dr. Odukoye is said to be the one in charge of preparing roasters for doctors but allegedly confers undue advantage on some doctors who are either considered as her people at the expense of others.

    Sources alleged that a certain Dr Augusta Mc-Angus is one of the beneficiaries of Dr. Odukoye’s favoritism as she may allegedly not even come to work for many days and weeks. They alleged that her shifts are usually added to others who end up being over-worked as they can run a 72 hour shift nonstop.

    Dr. Odukoye is also alleged to absent most times as administrative issues requiring her attention are usually handled on phone, a situation which sources said often leaves pressing issues unresolved.

    Another factor is the inadequacy of doctors at the hospital as sources disclosed that there’s been no new hand added to the manpower in the last five years even though staff have either died or retired.

    Unconfirmed report also revealed that the FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat which is responsible for employing doctors and deploys them to general hospitals across the Territory, has not carried out employment of medical doctors and other health personnel in the last five years.

    Incidences of doctors been overworked to the point of breaking down while on duty are said to be rampant in Kuje general hospital and across all government-owned hospitals in the FCT. 

    Read Also: 32 Kaduna General Hospitals not renovated in last 20 years – Sani

    A very brilliant doctor was said to have slumped and died while carrying out surgery on a patient in the theater.

    Another was said to have complained of headache, only to go home and never woke up from his sleep. He was later found to be hypertensive, and had died from exhaustion and stress.

    Attempts to speak to the Chief Medical Director of the hospital were unsuccessful as he wasn’t also on seat, neither did his phone go through when calls were put to it.

  • Ilupeju residents demand police station, general hospital

    Some residents of Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area (LCDA) yesterday appealed to the Lagos State Government for additional police station, a secondary school and a mini stadium.

    They also called on the government to upgrade their primary health centre to a General Hospital.

    The residents made the appeal at the 4th edition of the Constituency Stakeholders’ Meeting organised by the House of Assembly.

    It was held simultaneously in all the 40 state constituencies. The theme of the meeting was, Towards a peaceful and credible election.

    At the Fountain of Life Gardens and Park, Ilupeju where those in Mushin Constituency I gathered, the residents, who turned out in large number, thanked their representative, Adefunmilayo Tejuoso for her effective representation.

    They also hailed Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for constructing more inner-city roads in the area.

    They listed the roads as Coker, Ogunji, Olateju, Town Planning, Ayantuga, Damigoro and Araba, among others.

    Responding, Tejuoso promised to lobby the government to upgrade the Kajola Primary Health Centre to a General Hospital.

    On the stadium request, she said there was no place big enough to accommodate such project.

    She urged the community leaders to look around for large space, saying “if we find a suitable place, the government will embark on the project.”

    She said Adeleye Primary School will be upgraded to a secondary school.

    According to her, the moribund police post on Lisabi Street will be reconstructed and the government will engage the authorities to make it a station.

    The essence of the stakeholders’ meeting, Tejuoso said, was to have the residents input in the state’s budget.

    The meeting, she said, was also to educate residents on voter’s education to avert crisis during next year’s general elections.

    She warned the youths not to allow themselves to be used as thugs during the poll.

    “Your Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) is your power, not thuggery. Shine your eyes when casting your votes to elect credible people that would give your communities the desired changes they deserved.

    “On our own part, we have delivered our electoral promises and we hope you will replicate our gesture with your votes. Many of our youths have gained employments in both private and government establishments. Our empowerment programmes have lifted many out of poverty,” she said.

  • Sokoto inaugurates upgraded General Hospital

    Sokoto State has launched a general hospital it rehabilitated at the cost of N286 million.

    A former governor of the state Senator Aliyu Wamakko inaugurated the Silame General Hospital, saying the health sector is crucial to the overall well-being of the people.

    Wamakko, chair of the Northern Senators Forum, praised the state government led by Governor Aminu Tambuwal for rehabilitating and upgrading the hospital.

    The ceremony was part of events marking the 2018 Democracy Day in the state, as well the third year anniversary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) government of Governor Tambuwal.

    Senator Wamakko who is the immediate past governor of the state, said, “The health facility will go a long way in further improving the health status of the people of the area. The essence of every government is to meet the yearnings and aspirations of the governed, while the health sector is crucial in this direction. I am extremely delighted to be part of this epoch-making event and I must commend the state government for this feat.’’

    Wamakko, the chairman, Senate Committee on Basic and Secondary Education, said what the state government did for the people of the area was in line with the principles fairness in governance.

    He further lauded Governor Tambuwal for sustaining the peace he inherited, noting that the state remains the most peaceful in Nigeria.

    Governor Tambuwal said that his administration was fully committed to providing efficient health services to the people of the state.

    The governor also promised that, the state government will leave no stone unturned in addressing the problems of the state, especially in the health sector.

    Governor Tambuwal maintained that the health sector has inseparable links to all the sectors of human endeavours. In the same vein, the governor appealed to the people of the area to use the facility judiciously, visit the hospital, allow their wives to attend antenatal clinics, as well as ensure that their children are fully immunised.

    The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Balarabe Shehu Kakale said that with the inauguration of the hospital, all the 23 local governments in the state now have fully functional General Hospitals.

    According to Kakale, Silame Local Government was the only one lacking a General Hospital and only had an upgraded Primary Health Centre.

    He disclosed that the hospital was fully equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, including consulting rooms, admission wards, labour room and a laboratory, among others.

    The Chairman of the local government, Alhaji Abubakar Umaru Dantama, pledged that the health facility would be used judiciously by the people.

     

  • Sadness and joy

    Ordinarily, December 27, 2017, should have been a day of unbridled joy for the family of Ifeanyi Amadi and his wife, Precious. That day, Precious gave birth to triplets, two boys and one girl, at the General Hospital, Ajeromi Local Government, Lagos. Their short-lived joy has, however, since been overshadowed by sadness and gloom due largely to the dire economic straits confronting the couple.

    Indeed, Precious told The Vanguard newspaper that she had been in trepidation ever since scans revealed that there were triplets in her womb. The cause of the 38- year-old mother’s despair was that she already has three children aged 13, 11 and 9, respectively. For a teacher with a private school on a salary of N18,000 per month, it can best be imagined how herculean caring adequately for six children would be.

    Matters were compounded for the Amadi family when the school where Precious worked terminated her appointment for seeking an extension of the four weeks maternity leave earlier granted both because of her physical condition and to enable her take adequate care of the triplets before resumption. The family’s situation worsened when Ifeanyi’s shop at Idumota, Lagos, where he traded in jewelry, had to give way to developers causing him to lose all his goods in the process. Both husband and wife are thus jobless as it were, and have been maintaining their family through the charity of good Samaritans.

    This pathetic story raises a number of critical issues, particularly about the challenges confronting women in our society. In the first place, it is noteworthy that Precious did not plan to have any more children after the first three. Consequently, she first tried the contraceptive ring method to prevent her getting pregnant but later had to abandon this option for the rhythm method, which worked for her for two years until its failure resulted in her getting pregnant again. There is no doubt that accessing suitable and effective contraceptive methods is a challenge for millions of Nigerian women and it is one that the health authorities at all levels should urgently address through adequate enlightenment among other measures.

    Second is the issue of the treatment meted to nursing mothers by employers of labour, particularly in the private sector. If it is true that Precious had taught in her former school for eight years as she claims, we believe that her employers should have treated her situation with greater compassion and consideration. But then, employers certainly face a dilemma here. For how long can they afford to allow nursing mothers to stay off duty, especially given the harsh economic climate and since we are not privy to the fiscal situation of the company?

    All the same, it should not be a crime for a working mother to give birth to triplets and there is no reason why Precious should be rendered jobless because of this. The relevant government agencies should intervene in a situation like this to pursue avenues for possible remedies. It should also be possible for governments to devise institutional mechanisms to take care of these kinds of occurrences in a structured manner.

    Above all, however, is the obligation of society to offer succour to those like Precious who find themselves trapped in this kind of web. We commend those neighbours and other compassionate Nigerians who have been showing love and care to the Amadis in their dilemma. Equally worthy of approbation is the example of the wife of the Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode, who recently supported another stranded and penurious couple with the sum of N500,000 per month for one year. This is an example worth emulating and the defining essence of a truly humane society.

  • Bello vows to Stop VVF in Women

     

    The Wife of the Niger state Governor, Dr. Amina Sani Bello has vowed to stop the increasing cases of women with vesicovaginal fistula (VVF)  in the state declaring that there is no reason why women should continue to suffer from the disease.

    Speaking to newsmen at the General Hospital, Kontagora before embarking on VVF surgery boot camp for 30 women, Bello said, “I have seen the damage VVF have done to women, it is my passion to bring an end to it. I do not see why a woman would die or have complications at birth when something can be done to prevent it. I do not see what we should allow our women to have this kind of suffering. Seriously, if you know the kind of suffering these women go through, you will do all you can to help them. ”

    She lamented that there are a lot of women suffering from the disease in the state who are in hiding due to the stigmatization that faces anyone with the disease.

    “We do not have good records on the number of women with VVF in Niger state, a lot of them do not come to the hospital so we do not know the statistics but we do know that they are a lot of women who have it in Niger state. A lot of them are hiding. It is a disease that makes people stigmatize them, so those affect do not come out. We really do not know the statistics but from our outreaches, the cases are very high. ”

    According to the Governor’s Wife, over 80 women have been repaired adding that that in the next two weeks, 30 women with VVF would be repaired.

    She said that over N5 million have been expended for the surgery and treatment of women with VVF across Niger state explaining that the women are also being rehabilitated and taught skills to help reintegrate them into the society.

    Bello who expressed satisfaction with the surgeries done so far said that they have recorded over 80 per cent success, “80 per cent of our patients have been cured and have moved on with their lives. Most of the challenges we have had are with patients who have been operated before, this makes out success difficult but above all, our success have been encouraging. ”

    She stated that her foundation, RAISE Foundation have started high sensitization to ensure that women across the state have antenatal care and deliver in the hospital adding that incentives to ensure these have been introduced.

    The Director General, Sani Bello Foundation, Mr. Zakari Ikani said that the Foundation is collaborating with the RAISE Foundation to equip the women with skills that will reintegrate them into the society and improve on their standard of living.

     

  • Minister directs reopening of Karu General Hospital

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Malam Muhammad Bello has directed that the 135-bed Karu General Hospital be opened for immediate use by the public.

    Bello, in company of the FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye, inspected the health facility in Karu, a suburb of Abuja.

    Up and running, the Karu General Hospital is expected to take enormous pressure off the Asokoro District Hospital, Nyanya General Hospital as well as Maitama District Hospital.

    The Karu General Hospital was initially a 225-bed facility built by the FCT Administration with 40% of the hospital leased to the Primus Super Specialty Hospital (an Indian Hospital) for management.

    According to a statement issued by the Deputy Director / Chief Press Secretary, Muhammad Sule, the minister further directed that the hospital should immediately commence General Out Patent Department (GOPD) services, Antenatal services as well as the mortuary be opened to the public, in addition to the Behavioral Medicine Unit that had since been operational in the Hospital.

    The Acting Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretariat, Mrs. Alice Odey-Achu and the Medical Director of the Karu General Hospital, Dr. Marcus Mamman led the Minister and his entourage round the entire secondary health facility.

    Meanwhile, the Minister paid an unscheduled visit to the Zuba Hospital where he instructed that the Hospital should commence operation by May 1, 2017.

    The Acting Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretariat, Mrs. Alice Odey-Achu who led the Minister round the Zuba Hospital assured that the Secretariat is ready to commence operation on that appointed date.

    She reiterated that everything needed to enable the Hospital commence services is already on ground and that they are ready to hit the ground running.

  • No confirmed case of meningitis in Oyo – Commissioner

    The Oyo State Government says there is no confirmed record of Cerebro Spinal Meningitis (CSM) outbreak in the state.

    Dr Azeez Adeduntan, the state Commissioner for Health, said this at a news conference in Ibadan on Friday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Adeduntan was reacting to a media report of two suspected cases of meningitis in the state.

    Meningitis is an acute bacterial illness which is highly contagious.

    Adeduntan affirmed that four patients with symptoms of fever and neck stiffness were seen at Akinyele Local Government Aarea of the state.

    The commissioner stated that two of the four patients were found at the General Hospital, Moniya, while the remaining two were seen at private health facilities.

    “To further strengthen the suspicion of meningitis, two of these cases had recently travelled to the northern part of the country where quite a number of cases have been confirmed.’’

    However, he said that the initially suspected cases could not be considered as meningitis, considering the negative results they got from the clinical diagnosis of samples taken from the patients.

    “But, following the established protocol for clinical diagnosis, samples were taken from two cases and laboratory investigations carried out.

    “We wish to state that the results revealed no organisms in the cerebrospinal fluids of three of these patients. There has not been any loss of life in all the cases,” he said.

    Adeduntan said that the initially suspected cases could not be considered as meningitis, reassuring the media and residents that the earlier news of an outbreak be disregarded.

    He said that there was currently no outbreak of meningitis in the state, reiterating the state government’s commitment towards ensuring a disease free state.

    Adeduntan explained that the current type of meningitis experienced in some parts of the country was type C, adding that the type C is tougher than the type A which the country had vaccine for.

    The commissioner said that the state had put its facilities on high alert with the deployment of confirmatory resources as well as manpower to all facilities.

    He implored the general public to uphold the hygienic practices of regular hand washing with soap and water, especially after changing diapers and using the toilet.

    “They should also embrace regular hand washing after coughing or blowing the nose, avoid touching the face with unwashed hands and ensure that sick individuals visit the hospital,” he said.

    Adeduntan urged the people to avoid indiscriminate spitting and nose blowing, overcrowding, self-medication and reduce hand shaking, kissing and utensils sharing with victims.

    He implored the people to refer suspected individuals to the nearest public health facility for free and quality care.

    The commissioner also enjoined the people to inform the ministry of any suspected case by calling the following numbers 09058704101, 08025245809 and 08073431342.

     

  • Gombe spends N900m on Kaltungo snakebite centre

    Gombe spends N900m on Kaltungo snakebite centre

    The Gombe State Government on Tuesday said it spent N900 million to equip the snakebite treatment hospital and research centre in Kaltungo.

    The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr Kennedy Ishaya, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe that the equipment had already been installed in the 200-bed capacity hospital.

    He said “the newly constructed centre is now fully set; we have received a consignment of hospital equipment and had installed some and now in the process of installing the others.

    “We have employed the first batch of workers, about 42 labourers, cleaners, gardeners and security guards; we are just waiting for the inauguration of the hospital.”

    According to him, the centre also has an eye clinic and dental unit.

    “The eye clinic is for patients who were bitten by spouting cobra, as they may likely be affected in the eyes,” he explained.

    Ishaya said the dental unit would take care of those bleeding in the mouth and other complications caused by snakebite.

    He explained that the hospital would be linked with the Specialist Hospital Gombe in case there were patients that would need dialysis after snakebite because of renal failure.

    “Snake poison is terrible, virtually every system of the body could be affected,” he said.

    He added that nurses would be deployed from other hospitals, as well as those that would graduate from the sShool of Nursing, Gombe, to the centre.

    The snakebite treatment centre is currently occupying one ward at the General Hospital, Kaltungo.

  • Niger community wants upgrading of general hospital

    Residents of Kagara, the headquarters of Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State, have called for the upgrading of the township general hospital to meet the demands of the community.

    The call became more pronounced following the rehabilitation of the federal trunk A road passing through the town by the state government.

    According to one of the residents, Alhaji Aminu Balarabe, the hospital is the only general hospital serving a long stretch of over 200 kilometres from Mokwa, Tegina, Pandogari and Birnin Gwari in Kaduna State.

    He said that due to the bad state of most sections of the roads, lots of accidents occur and most of the victims are brought to the hospital.

    “The rehabilitation of Kagara township road has further placed the upgrading of our General Hospital on the front line. This is the only hospital after Mokwa. Accident victims are brought here from Mekera, Tegina, Maikujeri and Pandogari.

    “We appreciate state governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, for fulfilling his promise of rehabilitating the township road, which is the link between the south and northern part (but) all we want now is the upgrading, equipping and staffing our hospital to meet the ever-increasing patients and accident victims,” Balarade demanded.

    Another resident, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, stressed the need for the construction of speed bumps to limit the speed of vehicles and bring an end to accidents on the rehabilitated road, while also calling for the governor’s intervention on the road to Pandogari which has gotten worse.

    He stated that as the major road linking the south-west to Kaduna and Kano states, the road needs dire attention especially to reduce the high rate of robbery cases on the road.

     

  • Ogun orders closure of general hospital

    Ogun orders closure of general hospital

    The Ogun State government has ordered the immediate closure of Itori General Hospital in Ewekoro Local Government Area of the state

    The decision, according to the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye, is to allow for a massive renovation of the dilapidated structures within the facility.

    Speaking during an inspection visit to the hospital, Ipaye said the crack on the building walls was a clear sign of structural failure, which he said, requires urgent attention in order to avert loss of lives.

    The commissioner, who was in the company of the Permanent Secretary, Hospital Management Board, Dr. Adesanya Ayinde and Directors of the Ministry said a temporary alternative structure had been provided for the people of the area within the premises as the old hospital building would be demolished.

    Also speaking on the development, Ayinde said the relocation to the temporary structure was a welcome idea as the State has a standard it is known for.

    He noted, “We have a standard in Ogun State and the present administration has shown that in all sectors. That standard will be brought to bear in the re-construction of this hospital.”