Few days ago our state governor, HE Udom Gabriel Emmanuel made some statements that made the news in some media. I am worried because he has been so uneconomical with his words these days. Of particular concern is his outright attack on University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH).
I am not writing this just because I work there but I just need to put the records straight because some people maybe easily swayed by those statements especially as it comes from such a high office.
On the news he said he was disappointed with UUTH because of poor facilities despite his intervention and incessant strikes. On account of which he wants to build a standard Intensive care unit at General Hospital, Etinan. Also mentioned that he has started paying some state doctors their 18months salary arrears.
To many people these sound so marvelous from a governor, right? I am not part of UUTH management team but at least I have been around.
1. UUTH is a federal hospital and as such not under him. He should first of all inspect the state general hospitals and tell us how deplorable they are. Briefly, for those who care to know. We have; Primary,Secondary,Tertiary and Quaternary healthcare facilities.
=Primary healthcare facilities: Mostly managed by the Local Govt council. Supposed to take care of immunization, diarrhea, malaria, antenatal care for low risk pregnancies etc. Our health centers fall in here.
=Secondary healthcare facilities; include the comprehensive health centers and general hospitals.
Supposed to be managed by the State. Should take care of referred cases from health centers, high risk pregnancies including theater for C/S, appendectomy, Nursery etc.
=Tertiary healthcare facilities; Federal medical centers,specialist hospitals,teaching hospitals. Managed by the Federal government. #Supposed to take care of only referred cases from the secondary facility. In essence, cases like diabetes mellitus, hypertension, appendicitis, malaria, hernia etc are not supposed to be seen around the perimeter of UUTH except referred with complications.
It is mostly a research center and training of doctors and specialists. Procedures like dialysis, plastic surgeries,laparoscopy,radiotherapy etc should be done here.
=Quaternary healthcare facilities: Sometimes overlap the Tertiary. Very few in Nigeria like what our own at the backyard here was supposed to be. Kidney transplant etc.
Having just summarized this. You will discover that UYO city doesn't have a state government owned secondary healthcare facility.
Thank God for St. Luke's hospital ,Anua and some private hospital that take up part of the duty. Most people in UYO and it's environs now resort to UUTH.
UUTH now functions as a primary, secondary and Tertiary health facility in the state. Go to General outpatient department you will see cases of malaria everywhere with over about 80patients per day to be seen by about 5 doctors.
Community medicine dept is giving immunization,Antenatal clinic- uncomplicated cases, Surgical out patient- you will see boils for incision and drainage etc.
These are our brothers who don't have anywhere else to run to and you can't start enforcing strict attention for only referred cases.
With such pressure on one facility that is taking over the function of a state general hospital, combined with it's own status do you still expect to see that perfect state of such facility.
You complain of no bed space for accident victims where do we manufacture when we've already admitted a severe malaria, stroke cases etc that could have been managed by a general hospital? Can you tell me who has failed? The State government has failed.
I am not in any way defending UUTH management but I am just saying we should first of all remove the plaque from our eyes we help others remove theirs.
2. I can remember sometime ago when the governor came and saw the deplorable state of the accident/emergency unit; poor bed spaces, leaky plumbing(tap,sink etc that are used by over 100 patients/patient's relatives/visitors in a day) he promised #100M for some renovation but up till now hasn't redeemed the promise.
I wonder how he helped UUTH that he got tired of. His predecessor, HE GOA having recognized that the facility is serving the state ,gracefully donated a dialysis center that has helped the citizens of Akwa Ibom and nearby states. If Akpabio would make such statement then I would be silent.
3. Incessant strike. A worker deserves his wage. All these politicians can't stay a month without their security votes/imprests and you want an adult working for you, fuel his/her car or takes cab to work everyday, renting a house, feeding,children school fees should not ask for his salary? Please how do you people manage it? Well if there was a general hospital in UYO you won't bother about our agitation for our due.
4. So payment of salary arrears is now an achievement? Out of 18 months salary owed the new state doctors/nurses etc, they've started paying them only 3months arrears and would be in batches(not everybody has even been paid) and we are bold enough to tell people openly.
Do we still have conscience? Bubu released money to all the states for payment of salary arrears and warned against misappropriation for any other use so why can't we just clear all the salary arrears?
5. As for a standard Intensive care unit I hope they've asked what it entails. That unit is managed by specialist doctors/Nurses etc. We should learn from Ibom specialty hospital whose staff are still being owed . (even heard they thought of going on strike). ICU is not about the machines but the Personnel, not necessarily the ones who earn in hard currency.
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