The ragging state House hospital controversy assumed a fresh dimension Monday as Mrs. Aisha Buhari expresses her outrage over the absence of basic health consumables, making the clinic a mere consulting edifice.
Speaking at the opening session of a two-day Stakeholders meeting on RMNCAH+N – Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent Health and Nutrition, organized by her pet project, “Future Assured”, Aisha Buhari lampooned managers of the nation’s health sector for their visionless approach, which has made Nigerian go begging for health care outside the shores of the country.
Incidentally, the event which has all state governors wives, development partners, primary health care coordinators and other state holders in the health sector in attendance, as Aisha Buhari berated the flagship hospital meNt to cater for the welfare of the first family.
Mrs. Buhari’s narrated her chilling encounter at the hospital despite the huge budgetary votes allocated to the hospital and wondered what the funds are being used for.
“Few weeks ago I was sick as well, they advised me to take the first flight out to London .I refused to go. I said I must be treated in Nigeria because there is a budget for an assigned clinic to take care of us.
“If the budget is N100 million, we need to know how the budget is spent. Along the line I insisted they call Aso Clinic to find out if the X-tray machine is working, they said it is not working. They didn’t know I am the one that was suppose to be in that hospital at that very time”
“I am happy the MD of Aso Clinic is here, is here around? Dr. Munir (Dr. Hussain Munir, consultant cardiologist and the chief medical director at state house medical centre) or his representative? Ok he is around”
“Ok Dr. Munir I’m happy you are here. As you are all aware for the last six months, Nigeria wasn’t stable because my husband’s ill health, we thank God he is fully recovered now.”
“If somebody like Mr. President can spend several months outside Nigeria, then you wonder what will happen to a common man on the street in Nigeria.”
“I had to go to a hospital that was established by foreigners in and out 100 percent. What does that mean?”
“So I think is high time for us to do the right thing. If something like this can happen to me no need for me to ask the governors wives what is happening in their states. This is Abuja and this is the highest seat of government, and this is presidential villa. One of the speakers have already said we have very good policies in Nigeria, in fact we have the best policies in Africa. Yes of course we have but the implementation has been the problem.”
“So we need to change our minds set and do the right thing. I’m sure Dr. Munir will not like me saying this but I have to say it out. As the Chief Medical Director, there are a lot of constructions going on in this hospital but there is no single syringe there what does that mean? Who will use the building? We have to be good in reasoning. You are building new building and there is no equipment, no consumables in the hospital and the construction is still going on.”
Recall that the President’s daughter Zahra, taken up similar issue on her Instagram page where she raised concerns about the poor state of State House Medical Center.
In his reactions, however, the Permanent Secretary, State House, Mr Jalal Arabi, declared that plans are on the way to commercialize the center.
He said the State House Medical Centre (SHMC), which currently offers free medical services to patients, will be repositioned to offer qualitative and efficient services.
The centre, he said provides medical services to the President, Vice-President and their families, aides, members of staff of the State House and other entitled public servants.
He also revealed that the hospital is a training facility for house officers and other medical personnel.
Arabi said the proposed reforms will ensure that those eligible to use the Centre are NHIS complaint with their Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) or primary health provider domiciled in the clinic.
“We have already created a NHIS desk at the clinic where patients will be required to authentic their profile. If their HMOs are registered in other hospitals they will be required to transfer to the Centre.
“This is another way through which we can boost revenue generation at the hospital and this has started yielding results because the stark reality is there is no free lunch anywhere,” he said.
Arabi also dismissed allegations of misappropriation and withholding of funds meant for medical supplies in the Centre.
“I know people will insinuate and give all sorts of reasons because they don’t ask but it will be foolhardy and madness for anybody in his senses to defraud a medical centre of a kobo and toying with people’s lives.
“No sane person will do that, so the truth of the matter is the hospital is being run on subvention and appropriation; if it comes we pile the drugs; but the truth is the drugs are always overwhelmed by the number of people who use the Centre, because it is not controlled,” he said.
In the 2016 budget, the State House Medical Centre was N3.219 billion which was whixh for the completion of ongoing work as well as procurement of drugs and other medical equipment.
In the 2017 budget, the sum was reduced drastically from N3.89 billion to N331.7 million.
Tony Ailemen
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