The Nation Newspaper

Tag: hospital

  • Will el-Rufai get this hospital working?

    Will el-Rufai get this hospital working?

    It was conceived to provide the best medical services and end recourse to facilities overseas but, six years after, this sprawling Kaduna State hospital has not taken off. Will Governor Nasir el-Rufai make the difference? TONY AKOWE reports

    Before becoming vice president, former governor of Kaduna State Namadi Sambo had a wonderful health plan. The only trouble was that the sprawling 200-bed hospital he conceived and started building could not get off the ground; in fact, it was abandoned at completion stage. Then, in came his successor Ramalan Yero who loved the project so much he went shopping for cash to complete it. Still, the jinx remained unbroken, six years after.

    Is there any hope in the administration of Mallam Nasir el-Rufai? Will the hospital see the light of day, and not only justify the huge cash forked into it but provide the services Kaduna State residents and other Nigerians crave for?

    Sambo laid so much emphasis on reversing the ugly health situation in the state. One of the ways he proposed was providing a state-of-the-art medical facility in the country.

    He said then that the medical facility which would be a 200-bed hospital will provide the best of medicare comparable to the ones in other countries where Nigerians rush to for medical attention.

    He said he believed that the  hospital will put an end to Nigerians traveling out of the country on medical tourism.

    The government went to the capital market to generate part of the funds for the construction of the hospital which was later scaled up to a 300 beds.

    The contract for the construction was awarded to Nahman Construction, a Lagos-based firm for an undisclosed sum in 2009.

    However, with the structural work of the hospital almost completed, the complex was abandoned for almost three years. The contractors left the site and are yet to return  even though the state government said it had enough money to continue with the project.

    When The Nation visited the site of the project located at the Kaduna Millennium City, only the security guard and two broken-down trucks were seen, while the place has been overgrown with weeds. The walls of the hospital were already suffering from lack of maintenance while part of the roof was giving way.

    Permanent Secretary in the state Ministry of Health, Dr. Paul Dogo told The Nation that work on the project had to stop to allow for the installation of equipment.

    Investigations revealed that the hospital was initially scheduled for completion in 2012, but was delayed and rescheduled for completion in 2014 due to the inability of the state government to take delivery of some state-of-the-art equipment for the provision of comprehensive health care services to the 6.1million people in the state.

    It was gathered that Mukthar Ramalan Yero government in the state went shopping for loan from the Islamic Development Bank to provide the needed facilities for the hospital and other developmental projects in the state, some of which were also to have been funded from the bond taken from the Capital Market by the state government. The bank was to provide $141 million with the breakdown including, $81 million for the construction of Transmission Mains and Service Reservoirs at the Zaria Regional Water Supply Project, $43.13 million for the provision of modern equipment at the 300 bed-space Specialist Hospital at the Millennium City and $17.32 million for the construction of four (4) new Science Secondary Schools to be located in the New Kaduna City, Koreye, Sabon Gari LGA, Rigachikun, Igabi LGA and Manchok, Kaura LGA.

    While signing the loan agreement with officials of the bank in April 2014, the former governor, Mukthar Ramalan Yero said, “We have promised the people that we are going to complete all ongoing projects in the state and I want to assure the people that we have not abandoned any project and we remain committed to completing them based on availability of funds.”

    Dr. Dogo told The Nation on the telephone that the El-Rufai government was committed to completing the project and has set up a Project Monitoring Unit that is saddled with the responsibility of reviewing the project with a view to completing it. According to him, the government is concerned with the poor state of health facilities in the state. According to him, it is the concern of the government that led to convening the recent health summit in the state. The government has put in motion machineries to upgrade about 255 primary health Centres across the state and has signed a memorandum of understanding with General Electric Healthcare to provide modern health facilities for the health Centres including the 300 bed hospital.

    He said, “If we get it right this time, we can begin to reverse the ugly trend”.

    Governor Nasir el-Rufai confirmed this in a state broadcast.

    He said, “Kaduna State has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with General Electric Healthcare to modernise our primary health centres and public hospitals. Both parties have committed to identifying the specific needs of the centres and hospitals, so that modern equipment can be installed to improve the diagnosis and management of patients.

    “We shall sharpen our focus on primary healthcare by full implementation of Primary Healthcare Under One Roof (PHCUOR). We have therefore sent this framework as our first Executive Bill to the State House of Assembly. This focus includes a project to fully equip at least one primary health care centre in each of the 255 wards in the state, and at least one general hospital in each of the three senatorial districts. In addition to providing better facilities, we would be recruiting more doctors, nurses, midwives and technologists for our improved hospitals”.

    If el-Rufai does get the hospital working, he would have pulled off a feat his predecessors could not.

     

  • Group builds hospital for the deprived

    Group builds hospital for the deprived

    Worried by the deplorable state of infrastructure in the rural areas, the Lions Club District 404B-2, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) has concluded plans on how to improve the well-being of Nigerians at the grassroots. It identified rural communities as the index through which development in the country could be measured, adding that the future of the country will be shaped by the condition in the rural communities.

    The new Lions Club Governor, 404B-2 Nigeria, 2015/2016, Christine Funke Adebajo spoke during her investiture as the district governor and installation of cabinet officers/fund-raising in Lagos.

    •Adebajo
    •Adebajo

    Adebajo, who is the first female district governor of the district, said the club has embarked on the construction of water plant factory in Lagos for girls and establishment of hospital for the terminally and seriously-ill patients in Ekiti State.

    According to her, after series of brainstorming with members of her advisory committee, they arrived at a theme for the year, which is “Our Community: Our Future,” with a corresponding slogan, “Our future, Our World”.

    While raising fund for the building of a water factory plant in Lagos for neglected girls and hospital in Ekiti State, she stated that the community has great role to play in the shaping of the future of the country.

    “I believe that our future will be shaped by what we are able to make of our communities. If we positively impact on our community today, our future can be assured and comfortable. That will eventually translate to what our future world become tomorrow,” she said.

    In the circumstances, therefore, she said the district would be embarking on a youth empowerment programme by building water factory plant at Ozanam House Complex, Ikeja Lagos. The project, she said, would cater for teenage girls who are victims of rape.

    “These girls are abandoned by their families, relations and friends. Ozanam House will prevent them from committing unsafe abortion and suicide. They will be nurtured to deliver healthy babies,” she said.

    The District Governor further explained that it became necessary to empower the girls because they most often become burden to the House which sustains itself purely through charity.

    “From our assessment, the residents of Ozanam are in serious need of empowerment which will enable them to be reintegrated back to the society. The girls will be trained on the production of both bottled and sachet water. They will be equipped with skills of how to produce, package and market the finished product. Those who are willing can eventually set up small-scale industry for the production of sachet water.”

    She revealed that a hospital will be constructed in Ado-Ekiti. According to her, the project was a special request by the Ekiti State Government which craves to feel the impact of Lions Club in the state. When completed, the centre will provide palliation for terminally and seriously-ill patients and those who are in severe pains.

    While calling for support during the fund-raising, she said no government, organisation or individual can do it alone but “if each one of us continues to contribute our quota, we shall certainly leave our community and world a better place than we met them.”

    The chairman of the Presentation Committee, Lion Tunji Edward, who described Adebajo as a resolute person, a goal-getter; an achiever per excellence, said besides the hospital and empowerment of the girls, the impact of Lions Club would be felt in other areas.

    The programme, chaired by a former Vice-President of the Country; Gen. Oladipo Diya (CFR), had eminent personalities in attendance. They included Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr Idiat Oluranti Adebule; H.O.B. Lawal, Alex Irotumhe Princess Adetope Tychus, Air Vice-Marshal Anthony Okpere (rtd); Yinka Griffin; Ayoade Adesokan; Senator Bamgbetan Baju, among others.

    Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi (OFR), who gave a keynote address, challenged members of the club in Nigeria to rise to top echelon of the Lions family in the world.

    Adelusi-Adeluyi, who is a Rotarian, advised Lions to see the organisation not only as a platform for socialisation, but also through which they could impact positively on the lives of the people, adding that “Lions are made of people doing extra-ordinary things for the society.”

    While urging everyone to support Adebajo in her quest to make life meaningful for the less-privileged people in the society, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State said the state decided to identify with Lions because it has made positive impacts on the standard of living of people in many communities all over the world and in Lagos State.

    “Institutions such as yours have laid credence to the fact that we all do not have to hold public leadership position to serve the people. We can, in our individual capacities and as groups, contribute in our own little ways, to making life more comfortable for the less-fortunate in our society.”

    While commending the Lions Club for its humanitarian projects, Gen. Diya said they could do better if it strives to increase its current membership of 1.4 million. “You need to spread your gospel to wider audience who either do not know much about Lions’ activities. You should reach out to more of the 170 million population of Nigeria and spread to all states of the country,” he said.

  • Photo: Inauguration of customs hospital

    Photo: Inauguration of customs hospital

    L-R: CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, CUSTOMS HOSPITAL, KARU, DR NANDAP NANMAN; COMPTROLLER-GENERAL,NIGERIA CUSTOMS SERVICE, ALHAJI DIKKO ABDULLAHI AND GOV. NASIR EL-RUFAI OF KADUNA STATE, INSPECTING HOSPITAL EQUIPMENT, AT THE INAUGURATION OF NIGERIA CUSTOMS HOSPITAL AT KARU IN ABUJA ON TUESDAY
    L-R: CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, CUSTOMS HOSPITAL, KARU, DR NANDAP NANMAN; COMPTROLLER-GENERAL,NIGERIA CUSTOMS SERVICE, ALHAJI DIKKO ABDULLAHI AND GOV. NASIR EL-RUFAI OF KADUNA STATE, INSPECTING HOSPITAL EQUIPMENT, AT THE INAUGURATION OF NIGERIA CUSTOMS HOSPITAL AT KARU IN ABUJA ON TUESDAY
    CHAIRMAN, NIGERIA CUSTOMS HOSPITAL INAUGURATION COMMITTEE, MRS GRACE ADEYEMO WELCOMING GOV. NASIR EL-RUFAI OF KADUNA,TO THE INAUGURATION OF NIGERIA CUSTOMS HOSPITAL AT KARU IN ABUJA ON TUESDAY WITH THEM IS THE COMPTROLLER-GENERAL, NIGERIA CUSTOMS SERVICE, ALHAJI DIKKO ABDULLAHI AND OTHER OFFICERS.
    CHAIRMAN, NIGERIA CUSTOMS HOSPITAL INAUGURATION COMMITTEE, MRS GRACE ADEYEMO WELCOMING GOV. NASIR EL-RUFAI OF KADUNA,TO THE INAUGURATION OF NIGERIA CUSTOMS HOSPITAL AT KARU IN ABUJA ON TUESDAY WITH THEM IS THE COMPTROLLER-GENERAL, NIGERIA CUSTOMS SERVICE, ALHAJI DIKKO ABDULLAHI AND OTHER OFFICERS.
  • Bruno Iwuoha recuperating in U.S. hospital

    Bruno Iwuoha recuperating in U.S. hospital

    Popular Nigerian actor, Bruno Iwuoha, who was admitted in a U.S. hospital for an ailment suspected to be diabetes-induced glaucoma, is getting better, according to reports.

    Few weeks ago, the grey haired actor was the guest of an Abuja-based radio station where he appealed to public spirited Nigerians to assist him with funds to enable him treat himself.  In his words, “… the thing (diabetes) has claimed my sight. As I look at you now, I’m only using one sight (sic). They call that Glaucoma. And gradually it’s affecting the other one (eye). “

    Fortunately for the actor, Morgan Entertainment boss, Emeka Morgan Nwanne Oguejiofor Jr. intervened by inviting him over to the U.S. for treatment; the all-expense-paid intervention included hospital bills, feeding, and medication.

    Reports say Mr. Iwuoha is now in a stable condition, which is a far cry from the wheelchair bound state he was when he got to the hospital. However, doctors have advised him not to work or do any form of strenuous activity for the next six to 12 months in order to recuperate fully.

  • Rotary donates special wheelchairs to orthopaedic hospital

    As part of its efforts to bring succour to spinal cord injury victims, Rotary International Club of Ikeja South has made a donation of specialized wheelchairs to the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos.

    The specialized wheelchairs, comprising of the commode, electric wheelchair and manual, according to Governor, District 9110, Otunba Bola Onabadejo, is a manifestation of the Rotary International’s objectives of touching lives and putting smiles on the faces of the needy.

    He noted that healthcare, which includes disease prevention, maternal newborn and child health, was a major area of focus for Rotary, adding that the recent victory of Nigeria over polio was achieved by the immense work of the international service organisation which began in 1905.

    Rotn Onabadejo, who formally presented the wheelchairs to Chief Nurse Officer, Mrs. Helen Okereke, at the Spinal Cord Injury Ward F, used the opportunity to encourage Nigerians who live in Lagos and Ogun states which make up District 9110 to join the club so as to impact society.

    In his remarks, President of Rotary Club of Ikeja South, Mr. Oladele Oyatope, said the wheelchairs were presented to his club by the late Mrs. Bolaji Ajayi, and was thankful to her family for deciding to donate them to the hospital for the benefit of other Nigerians.

    An elated Mrs. Helen Okereke, while thanking Rotary, explained that the electric wheelchair is a special assistant machine that can be easily manipulated even by patients who are paralysed from neck down.

    “It would enable them move around easily and aid there recovery process,” Okereke said.

    She used the opportunity to call on other humanitarian organisations to come to the aid of the hospital, which according to her, is in need of specialized equipment.

    Apart from the District Governor, others at the presentation were Assistant Governor, Rotn Kemi Popoola; Rotn Bade Oke (Past Assistant Governor); Rotn (Dr.) Julius S.O. Nwokoro and Rotn Niyi Otunuyi.

  • Bishop urges patronage of hospital

    Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has announced the establishment of the church’s hospital in Kubwa to cater to its members.

    The church also urged members to patronise the facility.

    The church made the call in its Bishop’s Charge delivered during the first session of the 3rd Synod at Abuja, with theme: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.”

    He also reported to the faithfuls that the commencement of the Anglican University, Pegi also in the Federal Capital Territory has been suspended because the National University Commission (NUC) refused to approve the 25 hectares of land of the proposed site in Pegyi.

    Akamisoko noted that the commission has insisted that the church acquire 100 hectares of land but getting such a large expanse of land in Abuja is a difficult task.

    The cleric noted that that Nigeria needs good leadership to harness and have proper administration of all the God’s given natural resources in the country.

    Presenting the charge, Rt. Rev. Duke Akamisoko sought the rebirth of every Nigerian, stressing that the United States of America has a very strong institution that no President can manipulate since the system would simply send the leader packing.

    He said: “Nigeria needs good leadership to harness and have proper administration of all the God’s given natural resources on our land. This has to start from you in your offices to the presidency.

    “American…has a system set up in such a way that no President can mess America up. The system will throw him out. If you take President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to America as President, he will perform.”

    The US institutions at all levels, according to the cleric, are too strong so they always make their leaders sit up.

    Continuing, Akamisoko added:  “Then bring President Obama to Nigeria, he will be corrupted by the Nigeria system and will not be able to perform as a good president.

    “We all have roles to play in the issue of our country.”

  • Psychiatric Hospital: Bishop petitions Buhari

    Psychiatric Hospital: Bishop petitions Buhari

    A former member of the House of Representatives and ordained clergyman, Bishop Ezekiel Oise Orhevba has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to save the Federal Psychiatric Hospital, Uselu – Benin from what he termed: “its present irretrievably Monumental rot.”

    Bishop Orhevba in the petition to President Buhari made available to Nation on Saturday, unless the President intervenes in the affairs of the more than 50 years old Hospital, chances are that “it will experience a total ruin and abandonment.”

    The Bishop whose petition was further supported by a 22- paragraph affidavit to drive home his points, noted that there has been no peace in the hospital for over three years now.

    “There has been steady retrogression of the hospital. The hospital is in total darkness,” he stated.

    He further stated: “You can see the gardeners/landscape attendants using cutlasses to mow the grass instead of the former practice of using mechanical lawn mowers.”

    ” Food for patients is now cooked with firewood instead of gas, thereby leading to massive environment pollution in a Psychiatric Medical facility, where convalescing patients are not supposed to inhale noxious gas.

    “The hospital that has about 250 beds for patients hardly see up to 50 patients now due to the unpleasant and unfriendly condition of the hospital.”

    While alleging that there is a “terrorist gang” involved in transcendental sleaze in the hospital, Bishop Orhevba claimed that since October 2014, the Medical Director, Dr. S. O. Olotu had sacked about eight senior members of staff of the hospital who had never had any query over framed up charges.

    He alleged that the purported sack of the officers concerned was not approved by either the minister or the permanent secretary.

    Bishop Orhevba called on the President to help end the alleged reign of corruption and impunity going on at the Federal Psychiatric Hospital Benin so that the avowed manifesto of change for which President Buhari is globally acclaimed will not be aborted.

    Efforts to reach the Public Relations Officer of the Hospital, Mr. Efe Stawart and the Medical Director, Dr. S.O. Olotu, to comment on the issues raised in the petition were unsuccessful.

  • Hospital seizes six bodies over N13m mortuary bill

    A Delta State hospital is keeping the bodies of six  people killed in the crisis rocking Irri, Isoko South Local Government Area for alleged N13.059m mortuary bill. Five others have been released and laid to rest.

    The crisis was said to have happened as a result of power tussle allegedly instigated by an oil company operating in the area.

    The five bodies released by the government hospital in Isoko South were interred amid tears and mourning as markets and stores were closed and movement restricted as signs of last respect for the deceased.

    The deceased that were interred are Ororo Okemena, Edhor Wilifred, Agnes Osoh, Okogba Okiemute and Okrota Henry.

    Speaking to reporters  after the funeral service for the deceased at Irri town hall, the Chairman of Irri Development Union, Hon Goddey Igorigo said they were burying their brothers and sisters who lost their lives since 2002 in a crisis that rocked the community.

    Igorigo said one of the deceased was taken to Oleh for burial while others still in the mortuary in a private hospital that are yet to be released following a mortuary bill of N13.059m debt yet to be upset.

    He said: “We ought to have buried all today but because we don’t have money, the management of the private hospital took us to court that we should pay the sum of N13.059m and to also pay the damage of N1 million to them before they can release for us.

    “The matter is in court as we speak now and with the judgment passed, the court asked the management of the hospital to reduce the bill for us because we as a community, we don’t have money to pay and we want the remaining people to be buried.

    “So we are begging the local government, state and Federal Government to come to the aid of Irri to help us in offsetting the bill because day in day out the bill is increasing.”

  • Five killed in Borno hospital suicide blast

    Five killed in Borno hospital suicide blast

    No fewer than five people were killed at the weekend after a suicide bomber blew himself up outside a leprosy hospital on the outskirts of Maiduguri, according to emergency services.

    Ten others were injured in the attack.

    The bomber, who tried to gain access to the hospital, detonated his explosives outside the building around 5:30 pm on Saturday.

    “Five people were killed and 10 others injured near the Molai leprosy hospital when a male bomber blew himself up,” said Mohammed Kanar, regional coordinator for the National Emergency Management Agency.

    “The bomber had wanted to get entry into the hospital but was contemplating how to pass through security checks at the gate when the bomb went off.”

    He added: “We took the bodies and the injured to the specialist hospital (in Maiduguri).”

    Local resident Ibrahim Bulama said the bomber was one of three men who were dropped off near the hospital by a SUV vehicle.

    “They looked around for a while, obviously trying to sneak into the hospital,” Bulama said, adding that the facility was being guarded by civilian vigilantes who are assisting the military in the fight against Boko Haram Islamist insurgents.

    “Suddenly, the explosives on one of them went off. The other two fled in the confusion. Five people were killed and 10 others injured.”

    There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombing, but Nigeria’s Borno state, where the attack took place, has been the hardest hit by the Boko Haram insurgency which has left at least 15 000 people dead.

    Boko Haram, which has been fighting to establish a hardline Islamic state in northeast Nigeria since 2009, has intensified its campaign of violence in the last month.

    Danlami Ajaokuta, a civilian vigilante fighting Boko Haram, confirmed the hospital explosion and added that there had been a failed suicide attack by two women in Jakarna village, about 40 kilometres from Maiduguri on Saturday afternoon.

    “Two female suicide bombers died when the explosives on one of them went off prematurely while they were waiting for a bus along the highway in Jakarna,” Ajaokuta said.

    “Residents from the village heard a huge explosion and when they arrived at the scene they found one of the bombers in parts while the other lay dead face down.

    “Her explosives were still intact.”

  • FNPH workers shut hospital

    FNPH workers shut hospital

    Health workers at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital (FNPH), Yaba, Lagos, under the aegis of the National Association of Nurses and Midwives Council of Nigeria and Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals, have embarked on an indefinite strike.

    The workers, who converged on the patients’ dining hall, marched on the office of the Medical Director, Dr Rahman Abolore Lawal.

    Carrying placards with various inscriptions, such as  “Abolore Must Go”; “Health Workers of FNPH, Yaba Say No to Tenure Extension and Patient Suffering”; “Dr Abolore Lawal, FNPH Workers Say No to Anti-patient Policies and Workers Welfare”, the workers filed to the office of the Medical Director, who refused to address them.

    The protesters’ spokesman, Comrade Uzundu Eke, said workers are tired of the “horrific” working system in the hospital and are against Lawal’s secret ambition to elongate his tenure, which expired in January.

    But Lawal said his tenure expires in August and he has a right to re- apply for a second term.

    On the “horrific” working system, the Medical Director said the hospital does not pay salaries, but the Federal Government does through the Integrated Personnel and Pay System (IPPS).

    “How can they accuse me of owing them, when they know that their salaries are paid by the Federal Government through IPPS in Abuja?”