Resident doctors working at the
University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Edo
State, have decried the state of facilities
such as operating theatres, radiotherapy
machine, laboratory equipment and
lecture rooms in the hospital.
They accused the authorities of the
hospital of mismanaging facilities in the
institution.
According to the President of the UBTH
ARD, Dr. Omorogbe Owen, the conditions
in which the physicians operate on
patients is terrible.
He said, “The theatres are in the worst
conditions as surgeries are carried out by
doctors who are sweating on patients.
Insects and reptiles come in freely into
the theatres and wards because of the
dilapidated state of facilities.
“Consumables and other tools for work
are not sufficient or non-existent, forcing
patients to buy materials for wound
dressing across the road. The
laboratories, pharmacy and x-rays units
are not functioning optimally.
“The discrepancy has now made it a norm
for patients to go outside the hospital to
do diagnostic investigations and also buy
drugs. Despite the Federal Government’s
huge investment in procuring CT scan and
radiotherapy machine for the hospital, the
equipment is constantly malfunctioning.”
Owen, who made this known in a
statement, also alleged that some
departments had lost their accreditation
due to lack of facilities and manpower.
The doctors also raised the alarm over
what it described as “extortion of
patients”, adding that the high cost of
treatment at the hospital had forced
many patients to seek treatment
elsewhere.
The ARD boss added that patients were
forced to pay N3, 900 general wards’ fees
daily after paying an initial admission
deposit of N20, 000.
He stated, “For instance, the bed fee for
specialist ward is N15,000 daily after an
admission deposit of N50, 000, compared
to what is obtainable elsewhere such as
the Irrua Specialist Hospital, Edo State
and the University College, Ibadan, Oyo
State, were bed fee is N1,500 and N1,000
per day respectively. The same is
applicable at the Obafemi Awolowo
University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, Osun
State where bed fee is N1,000 daily.”
Owen also accused the management of
being insensitive to present economic
realities of its patients.
He added, “Many patients have been
forced to seek alternative care elsewhere
and this is grossly affecting the training of
medical students and doctors. Patients,
especially those in and around Edo State,
are now forced to travel to other parts of
the country for medical care where
services are affordable.”
Decrying the shortage of medical workers,
he recalled that the hospital had not in
the last four years employed new
members of staff despite the mass exit of
professionals from the hospital.
He added that the exit of workers had
resulted in the loss of some departments
in the hospital.
Owen said, “This obviously affects the
quality of service being rendered to
patients. It is shocking to reveal that the
last time resident doctors were employed
in UBTH was in 2011 and in the
intervening four- year period, over 400
resident doctors have exited without any
replacement.”
“The hospital that was manned by over
150 house officers is currently covered by
60 house officers while a ward of over 50
patients is being run by three nurses.
One can then imagine the kind of care
patients get from this shortage of staff.
“Consumables and other tools for work
are not sufficient or non-existent forcing
patients to procuring materials for wound
dressing across the road. The
laboratories, pharmacy and x-rays units
are usually down due to lack of power
supply.
“The discrepancy has now made it a norm
for patients to go outside the hospital to
get investigations and drugs. Despite the
Federal Government’s huge investment in
CT scan and radiotherapy machine for the
hospital, the equipment is constantly
malfunctioning.”
The Chief Medical Director of the hospital,
Prof. Michael Ibadin, could not be
reached by one of our correspondents, as
calls to his telephone line did not go
through.
When contacted on Sunday, the Public
Relations Officer, Mrs. Kehinde Ibitoye,
declined comments on the matter, adding
that she was not aware of the statement
by the resident doctors.
Ibitoye said, “I have not seen the press
release. Until I see it, I will not react.
You are a journalist; can you react to what
you have not seen?
“I am not even aware. It has not come to
my management. When it does, we will
say our own.”
