Assembly committee expresses dismay over non-release of funds to hospitals in A/Ibom

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Committee on Health has expressed dismay over the non-release of budgetary allocations to hospitals for their operations in the state.

Moses Essien, the committee chairman who represents Ibiono Ibom state constituency on the ticket of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), expressed the displeasure when the committee visited secondary health facilities in the state.

The hospitals visited included General Hospital, Awa, Onna Local Government Area, Iquita General Hospital, Oron and the Immanuel Hospital, Eket.

Speaking during the visit, Essien said the committee embarked upon the tour of the hospitals to ascertain the challenges facing the health facilities and how the budgetary allocations were being utilised.

He said that the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and the Standing Orders of the State Assembly authorised lawmakers to carry out an on-the-spot assessment of government facilities in the state to “ascertain the level of work done in line with the effort made by the government to ensure affordable healthcare services.”

He expressed regret that though the management of the three secondary health facilities were yet to fully access funds allocated to them in the budget, the health committee would do everything within its powers to ensure those funds approved for them in the 2024 budget were released promptly.

The committee chairman was however, delighted over the quality of health facilities and equipment in the hospitals as well as the sanitation of the hospitals, noting that the hospitals were capable of providing quality healthcare to the people of the state.

Speaking, the Chief Medical Superintendent of General Hospital, Awa, Onna, Francis Inyang, while receiving the committee, described the visit as noteworthy, adding that though the management of the hospital generated N3million monthly to the state government, it received only N80,000 monthly as subvention from the government.

He noted that the allocation received from each hospital by the state government as a running cost varied, depending on the level of operation of each hospital adding that when their equipment broke down, they usually rallied around to fix it, while waiting for the government’s support.

While acknowledging the concerted efforts from the government, individuals, non-governmental organisations to sustain the daily running of the facility, he identified major challenges facing them such as lack of adequate funds, shortage of staff among others.

He also used the opportunity to conduct members of the committee around the facility ranging from Haematology Lab, CT scan, Biochemistry Lab, Accident Unit and theatre Suite.

At the Immanuel General Hospital, Eket, the Chief Medical Superintendent, Idongesit Itaketo, said that the hospital was operating in line with the Arise Agenda of the State government. He disclosed that the management of the hospital has not received the N10 million as reported, adding that it only got N200,000 as its monthly allocation from the state government.

Itaketo disclosed that the surgical unit generated between N2.5 million and N3.5million while the pharmacy unit made about N6million monthly.

While noting that Immanuel General Hospital has enjoyed assistance from individuals and groups as well as a reasonable number of referrals within and outside the state, Itaketo, highlighted some of the challenges facing the facility as lack of constant power supply, quarters for doctors and insufficient staff.

On his part, the Chief Medical Superintendent of General Hospital, Iquita, Oron, Sabastine Noah, said that the management of the hospital received only N200,000 as its monthly allocation from the state government.

He also noted that the management of the facility was yet to access the N10 million budgetary allocation as reported “because the fund was probably budgeted for a dental clinic, which he said was not in operation at the moment.”

Noah identified lack of constant power supply, absence of a dental clinic and shortage of staff as some of the challenges facing the facility.

Other members of the committee who visited were Uduak-Obong Ekpo-Ufot (Etinan), Itoro Etim (Uruan), and Prince-Aniefiok Attah (Nsit Atai).

The lawmakers had earlier demanded to know if all the general hospitals in the state get equal budgetary allocation as a running cost and how they fixed their facilities and equipment, respectively.