PATIENTS LAMENT POOR HEALTH-CARE SERVICES AT BSUTH
Eric Adah
Benue state university teaching hospital was established to take care of the health challenges, most especially tertiary health issues in the state and beyond. The concept of the hospital predefines it as a reference hospital from primary and secondary health care centres.
Many years after establishment, there appears to be untold stories and tales of lamentations from patients and caregivers who has course to visit the ivory tower edifice in Makurdi, the state capital.
Mr. Tarvershima Kumaor said his father got sick and was referred to BSUTH from General Hospital Gboko. He hoped to get the best services due to the nomenclature of the hospital, but met disappointment. He said most of the medical tests carried out were done outside the hospital. According to Lab Technologists whom he preferred to shield their identities, the laboratory testing machines were faulty or not installed in the hospital. Mr. Tavershima added that the Pharmacy in the hospital could only supply a handful drugs, whereas one has to go about tonw to procure drugs on medical prescriptions.
With tears rolling down his cheek, Tavershima lamented that his father died in his absence while he went away in search of drugs he was asked to administer to him. He said this is total negligence and unprofessional as well as unethical for a hospital of such magnitude. He ascribed the untimely demise of his father to pure negligence on the part of the hospital management.
Another victim of BSUTH mismanagement, Mr. Ogwuche Ojile said he will never take any of his relative to the hospital again because his encounter was a nightmare. He described the hospital “good structured but totally empty with medical equipment.” Mr. Ogwuche added that every test and drugs needed to carry out medical treatment was bought outside the hospital; “this is stressful and money consuming.”
On her part, Mrs. Grace Sende who was admitted at the hospital said the medical practitioners are wonderful, but government and management can do well to put facilities in place to end hardship face my patients and most especially the caregivers.
A medical consultant in the hospital, who pleaded anonymity, expressed displeasure on the state of affairs. He said they are embarrassed and insulted by patients or caregivers at the hospital, whenever they are carrying out their duties as a result of lack of basic needs. He further said it will be more convenient if the hospital pharmacy is equipped adequately with drugs and the testing machines in the laboratory are fixed and new ones bought to enhance performance on the side of the medical team and comfort on the part of patients/caregivers. As it stands, the hospital is under patronized because of these inadequacies, he said.
Efforts to speak to the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the hospital, Prof. Terlumun Swende proved abortive as at the time of filing in this report.
