The Nation Newspaper

Tag: hospitals

  • Ondo doctors, others on strike over unpaid wages

    Ondo doctors, others on strike over unpaid wages

    Medical doctors in  Ondo State yesterday withdrew their services in all government hospitals.

    Many patients were affected.

    The doctors protested the non-payment of their five- month salaries by the government.

    Medical personnel, including pharmacists, nurses, laboratory scientists and other allied health workers, marched on major streets in Ondo town.

    The doctors, who converged on the Mother and Child Hospital, at 7am closed the gate leading to the hospital.

    They carried placards with various inscriptions such as “Pay our salaries “; “Shall we die before you pay us?”; “We are saving lives, pay our salaries and “Save us from hunger” among others.

    The Osemawe of Ondo, Oba Victor Kiladejo, who addressed the protesters  said he would  meet with Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

    He said the government cannot afford to play with the health of the people.

    But the health workers vowed to continue with the protest, until their salaries are fully paid.

     

     

  • Lassa fever: Contact hospitals reopened

    The first two contact hospitals of the Lassa fever victim, who later died at Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu, Ogun State, have been re-opened and certified safe to provide health care services.

    Commissioner for Health Babatunde Ipaye broke the news when he visited the Central Specialist Hospital and Rubee Medical Centre in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area.

    Ipaye, in a statement by the Ministry’s spokesperson, Adeniyi Akinbobola, said the step was to disabuse the public from stigmatising the hospitals and their staff, adding that the World Health Organisation (WHO) standard of fumigating and decontaminating was strictly adhered to by the government.

    Appreciating the hospitals’ medical directors for managing the situation well, Ipaye said “if not for their pro-activeness in informing the Ministry of Health, the matter could have gotten out of hand”.

    “I want to call on the public to continue patronising the Central Specialist Hospital and the Rubee Medical Centre as they have been fully certified to admit patients and provide good health care.

    “What they have done was in the spirit of patriotism,” the commissioner said.

  • Robbers attack two hospitals in Ondo

    Armed robbers at the weekend attacked two private hospitals in Okitipupa, Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State.

    A source said the robbers  made away with money and other valuables belonging to  staff and patients.

    According to the source, the robbers also carted away some medical equipment.

    It was also gathered that patients and nurses, who had no money to give to the robbers, were beaten up.

    A victim, who pleaded for anonymity, said: “There were five masked robbers.

    “They came to the hospitals on motorcycles and threatened to shoot whoever fails to cooperate with them.

    “All of us on duty lay down and allowed them to carry out their operation without any hindrance.

    “They asked everybody, including the patients, to bring out money and those who did not have any money were beaten up.”

    “We tried to call the police but could not because they had collected our phones,” he added.

    The source said nobody was killed.

    It was gathered that immediately after the operation in the first hospital, the victims reported the matter at the police station.

    But less than 24 hours later, another operation was carried out in another hospital by the same gang.

    Police spokesman Femi Joseph could not be reached for comments but an officer in the State Anti-Robbery Squad said the police were investigating the incidents.

  • Health workers vow to cripple public hospitals

    The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations (AHPA) have vowed to cripple activities in Federal Government health facilities.

    JOHESU gave a 15-day ultimatum, from February 3, 2016, to resume its strike if its 10-point demand is not met.

    The ultimatum expires on Wednesday and the group threatened to continue the strike.

    A copy of the associations’ warning, addressed to Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Head of Civil Service of the Federation and some security agencies, was signed by JOHESU’s Chairman, Biobelemoye Josiah.

    It noted that unless government meets its demand, it will resume the suspended strike.

    The unions decried the neglect of its members, which contribute 95 per cent of health care providers.

    This is the first time the unions would threaten strike since President Muhammadu Buhari assumed power last May.

    JOHESU seeks, among others, implementation of a new circular on promotion from CONHESS 14 to 15 as directors, “which places premium on the need to sanction defaulting hospital managements”.

  • Firm donates to hospitals, schools on Hand-washing Day

    Firm donates to hospitals, schools on Hand-washing Day

    A firm, Unigloves Medical, in conjunction with some multinational stakeholders, is donating hygiene items to hospitals and schools in commemoration of the Global Hand-washing Day (GHD).

    From midweek to today, the organisations went visited hospitals and schools across the country, telling pupils and their handlers as well as hospital staff to prioritise hand-washing and other health practices.

    Global Hand-washing Day (GHD) is a campaign to motivate and mobilise people around the world to improve their hand-washing habits by washing their hands with soap at critical moments throughout each day.

    Unigloves Medical with its partners will install dispensing machines in selected hospitals and schools. The hospitals include  Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESTH), Park Lane, Enugu and Federal medical Centre (FMC). Others are Lagos University teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), National Hospital, Abuja, Delta State University Teaching Hospital (DELSUTH), Asaba. The schools are Feddemer’s International School, Apapa Road, Costain,Storknest Preschool, Ebute Metta, Spring School, Okota, Nazareth Schools 1 and 2, FESTAC, Acee School, FESTAC, Seed of knowledge School, Okota, De-Bright School 1 and 2, and Paedville British Preschool, Ire Akari, Isolo, Lagos.

    According to the MD of Unigloves Medical, Kevin Onah, his company sets out to sustain the culture of hand washing in the country as students and workers would have the opportunity to wash their hands with disinfectants and quality solutions produced by the company.

    Onah said, “This is a way of promoting hygiene among Nigerian children especially and hospital staff thereby preventing infections and other diseases.

    “The campaign is dedicated to raising awareness on hand washing with soap as a key approach to disease prevention. The campaign was initiated to reduce childhood mortality rates related to respiratory and diarrheal diseases by introducing simple behavioral changes, such as hand-washing with soap. This simple, accessible action can, according to research, reduce the rate of mortality from these diseases by almost 25 and 50 per cent, respectively,” he stated.

    The project is a core element of the WHO World Alliance for Patient Safety, launched in October 2004. Its aim is to address the issue of the prevention of health care-associated infection under the banner Clean Care is Safer Care. Professor Didier Pittet is an internationally recognised expert in hospital hygiene and infection prevention and control, and continues to support a strategy model to prevent nosocomial infections, known in scientific literature as the Geneva model. On April 14, 2005, the Geneva University Hospital (HUG) was designated by the WHO as a centre of reference for the prevention of nosocomial infections. This recognition rewards an institutional prevention strategy and 10 years of endeavour.

    Onah said in view of this, Uniglove Medicals, a market-leading manufacturer of premium quality, multi-purpose disposable gloves in conjunction with two German companies; B Braun Melsugen and OP Hardt and two French companies; Holtex and Novomed and Frontier Medical Group are set to improve healthcare deliveries especially in the area of hygiene and infection prevention and control in hospitals, hospitality and manufacturing sectors in Nigeria with the donations. Unigloves Medical Healthcare Limited is a subsidiary of UG Healthcare Corporation which is a multi-national organisation and manufacturers of medical gloves and global healthcare providers. It also manufactures high quality multi-purpose medical and healthcare disposables. They are currently in 10 countries worldwide including Singapore, United Kingdom, United States of America, Germany, China and Nigeria.

    According to Mr. Basile Trede, Area Sales Manager, B. Braun Melsungen AG, “We are in Nigeria because it has been observed that mortality related to hospital acquired infections could be reduced when health care personnel wash and disinfect their hands with antiseptic solution between patient contacts, as well as stringent compliance of health care workers with recommended hand washing practices. Building upon our knowledge of the world’s glove markets, we have developed a range of proprietary processes to benefit our customers.”

    He said compliance with recommended hand washing practices is still very poor. Careful hand hygiene in medical field is set to become even more important in the future in the provision of high quality patient care. That is part of the reason why we will be showcasing our products at the Medic West Africa exhibition on V.I. The exhibition is an opportunity for those in the hospital and health sectors, hotels, food manufacturing companies and those in a related field to tap from the experience of these experts especially in the application of the process.

    Giving reasons why their company products are special, Onah said, “We have introduced a refreshing range of scents, including citrus and peppermint, into our vitality range of dental gloves to improve the overall examination experience for both dentist and patient. We have also developed an innovative range of gloves coated with a proprietary formulation of lanolin and vitamins designed to soothe the symptoms of dehydration and irritation.

    “Together, this powerful combination has been proven to significantly improve skin health. Gloves benefitting from our unique EasyDon Finish are chlorinated on both the inside and outside areas of the cuff to reduce tackiness and improve donning, particularly for those involved in regular wet work. With ultimate hygiene in mind, Unigloves products are FirstTouch manufactured, examined and packaged with zero direct skin contact.”

     

  • NMA debunks sale of hospitals

    The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has debunked the claim by the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) that government plans to sell off hospitals under the guise of public-private partnerships (PPP) .  The association said  the union was afraid of the work place discipline that private sector control would bring to hospitals.

    Head of NMA’s clinical governance committee Dr Joseph Ana accused JOHESU of wanting its members to continue with their bad work ethics while they receive salaries ferom the government.

    A recent report quoted JOHESU of accusing the government of planning to sell  hospitals.

    He stressed that private sector involvement in health would bring in corporate efficiency, discipline and resources which government alone cannot afford, if it is to deliver on health promises.

  • Ugwuanyi laments poor hospitals in Southeast

    Ugwuanyi laments poor hospitals in Southeast

    Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has decried the poor state of hospitals in the Southeast. He lamented that the ill-equipped hospitals could not meet the health demands of the people.

    The governor spoke when the management of Star Deep Water Petroleum Limited, Chevron Oil Company and Agbami co-ventures, visited him at the Government House in Enugu.

    Ugwuanyi said when completed, the diagnostic centre being built would reduce the people’s craving for foreign medical attention.

    He appealed to the group to help the zone by establishing a befitting hospital to promote health care delivery.

    Ugwuanyi also requested the group to establish a modern library to facilitate learning and encourage research, even as he hailed them for building a chest clinic complex at the District Hospital in Enugu-Ezike.

    He said: “I am convinced that you are a worthy partner that has touched our hearts and the lives of our people. May my good Lord reward you.”

    Representative of Star Deep Water Petroleum Limited, Mr. Stan Otuonye said the group was in Enugu to inaugurate the chest clinic complex it built at the Ogurute District Hospital.

    Otuonye noted that the group had built 24 chest clinics in different parts of Nigeria.

  • Two Ondo areas to get mother-child hospitals 

    Ondo State Government has concluded plans to build two additional mother and child hospitals in the state’s southern and northern senatorial districts, with one already earmarked for Okitipupa.

    The announcement came after the feat of its mother and child hospitals chosen by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as research centres for maternal health delivery.

    Commissioner for Information Kayode Akinmade, who spoke in Akure yesterday, said the state government was determined to consolidate on what he described as “the unprecedented success so far recorded by the government’s Safe Motherhood programme, which runs basically on the operations of the mother and child hospitals”.

    The commissioner offered that the decision of the WHO to  choose the hospitals in Akure and Ondo as research centres among other local and global recognitions of the accomplishments of the initiative, has further reinforce the determination of government to ensure that the state senatorial districts were exposed to the facility.

    Akinmade said government has, therefore, concluded plans to build additional two of such hospital in the southern and northern senatorial districts with one already earmarked for Okitipupa.

    He added that the government would do “everything to actualise its vow to ensure pregnancy no longer translates to death sentence”.

    Akinmade said Governor Olusegun Mimiko, who was dissatisfied with the increasing level of maternal mortality when his administration came on board in 2009,  introduced the Safe Motherhood Programme, otherwise known as Abiye.

    He added that it necessitated the building of the  Mother and Child Hospitals exclusively for the treatment of pregnant women and children below the age of five free of charge.

    This, Akinmade said, attracted patrons from neighbouring states, adding that the influx is, however, being controlled by the introduction of residency card introduced recently introduced in the state.

  • Boko Haram: Victims Support Fund signs N60m MoU with three hospitals in Borno, Yobe

    The Nigerian Foundation for the Support of Victims of Terrorism,otherwise called Victims Support Fund (VSF), has signed a memorandum of understanding with three hospitals for the treatment and care of victims of terror in Borno and Yobe states.

    The MoU, which was signed at separate times within the week by the Executive Director of the Foundation, Prof. Sunday Abogonye Ochoche, in Maiduguri and Damaturu, also gave a cheque of N20 million each to the three hospitals.

    The beneficiary hospitals include the Borno State Specialist Hospital Maiduguri, the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital and the Gen. Sani Abatcha Specialist Hospital, Damaturu in Yobe State.

    Ochoche at separate signing ceremonies in Maiduguri and Damaturu, urged the management of the hospitals to use the funds judiciously for the care of victims of terror attacks in the states.

    He said the desire of the VSF is to make sure that all the hospitals are assisted to perform at their minimum best in taking care of victims of terror attacks.

    He said: “We at the Victims Support Funds are aware that we cannot meet all the challenges that your hospitals face in the treatment of victims of terror attacks. However, the presentation that we are making is to assist you in delivering better services to victims of terror attacks who are usually brought to your hospitals.

    “We are aware that over time, when these attacks occur, your facilities are over-stretched and therefore this kind of support is crucial for the provision of equipment, drugs and facilitates for improved service delivery to the victims.”

    He described the donations as just a small element of the good things that are in stock for the victims of Boko Haram attacks, adding that the foundation’s attention at the moment is geared towards the rehabilitation of women and the provision of good and sustainable education for the orphans of insurgency.

    He also announced that seven hospitals are benefitting from the programme with majority coming from the North East, comprising Borno, Yobe, Gombe and Adamawa in the first phase while the second phase will comprise Taraba, Bauchi and Plateau states.

    Dr. Abdulrahaman Tahir, the Chief Medical Director of UMTH; Dr. Salisu Kwaya Kura of the Borno Specialist Hospital and Dr. Garba Musa Fika all signed the MoU on behalf of their hospitals. They all promised to use the funds for the purpose it was meant for.

  • ‘Why public hospitals have low patronage’

    Lagos doctor, Gad Subete Aaron, has attributed the low patronage of primary and secondary health care centres to lack of facilities.

    Aaron, who is seeking Adamawa State Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) ticket to contest the Toungo/Ganye/Jada/ Mayo Belwa Federal Constituency seat, spoke with reporters in Yola, the state capital, after obtaining his nomination form.

    He said the challenges in the health sector need to be addressed by stakeholders.

    Aaron said he would work with like minded people  to improve the health sector, if given the PDP’s ticket.

    He lamented the deplorable state of primary and secondary health institutions in Toungo/Ganye /Jada/ Mayo Belwa Federal Constituency, which he attributed to the “lack of a true representative to champion the people’s cause”.

    Aaron said he knew the plight of his people and would improve their lives, if elected.

    He was accompanied to the PDP secretariat by his supporters.