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Tag: ABUTH Zaria

  • Why NASS supports privatisation of teaching hospitals- Committee Chairman

    Why NASS supports privatisation of teaching hospitals- Committee Chairman

    Privatisation

    By Mustapha Yauri

    Zaria (Kaduna State) June 30, 2024 (NAN) The House of Representative says it will support the campaign for the privatisation and commercialisation of the federal teaching hospitals, to enhance efficiency and better healthcare delivery.

    Mr Amos Magaji, Chairman House Committee on Health, and member representing Zangon Kataf/Jaba, Federal Constituency in Kaduna State, disclosed this to newsmen on Saturday evening, after the committee’s oversight visit to Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria.

    Magaji said the House of Representatives would support the initiative to strengthen service delivery, adding that the Federal Government should also take a critical look into health insurance, and increase its capitation before venturing into such a project.

    He added that the health insurance should capture senior citizens age 70 years and above into the scheme because with good capitation from health insurance, people will be able to pay their bills when the hospitals were commercialised.

    “At the moment there is a huge burden of out of pocket expenses on health; and so if you privatise or commercialise the National Teaching Hospital, it is similar to giving Nigerians death sentences,’’ Magaji said.

    The chairman said governance was for the people, and as such, policies of the government should have a human face and tally with the aspirations of people.

    On the visit to ABUTH, Magaji expressed the committee’s dissatisfaction over the number of personnel of the hospital, noting that the prestigious tertiary health facility with 1000-bed capacity, should have adequate workers to man the facility.

    The chairman pledged the committee’s commitment to ensuring all grey areas in the health sector were tackled, in the overall interests of all Nigerians.

    “The oversight visit to the hospital was not to find fault or witch-hunt anybody, but to assist the facility in its business of delivering quality and affordable healthcare services to Nigerians.

    Earlier, Prof Hamid Umdagas, Chief Medical Director of the Hospital, told the committee that dearth of manpower and electricity supply, were the major challenges of the hospital.

    Umdagas said that the hospital, which had six satellite stations, 40 clinical and non-clinical departments, was barely managing with only 2,805 personnel as at June 27.

    According to him, the “Japa’’ syndrome was hitting hard on the facility’s human resources, as some of its health facility just simply disappeared, while a few had retired. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

    AM/DOR
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    Edited by Nyisom Fiyigon Dore

  • Electricity Bills: NASS to increase budgetary allocation of teaching hospitals

    Electricity Bills: NASS to increase budgetary allocation of teaching hospitals

    Electricity

    By Mustapha Yauri

    Zaria (Kaduna State), June 28, 2024 (NAN) The House of Representatives, said it would increase budgetary allocations of tertiary health facilities towards addressing high electricity bills, and strengthening quality healthcare delivery services across Nigeria.

     Mr Amos Magaji, Chairman, House Committee on Health, stated this on Friday in Zaria during an oversight visit to Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) Zaria.

    He said that beyond increasing overhead of these facilities, the committee would discuss with the Federal Ministry of Power and other key stakeholders in the sector to address the challenge.

    Magaji said some hospitals were threatening to close down over what he described as exorbitant  electricity bills.

    “While we are here the chief medical director of ABUTH received an SMS from Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company about the bills.

    “ABUTH used to have N10 million electricity bills monthly but from N10 million, the bill has increased to over N70 million per month and the situation is similar in most of the hospitals across the country.

    “If the overhead for 2024 was N100 million or N120 million, you are spending such an amount on electricity alone in two months, it will then be very difficult for you to cope,’’ he said.

    Magaji said the National Assembly and management of tertiary health facilities would also leverage on renewable energy to reduce burden on electricity and diesel for generators.

    The chairman expressed concern over the poor number of personnel of the hospital, adding that ABUTH was a prestigious tertiary health facility with 1,000-bed capacity.

    He said that the number of workers to man the facility was far less than the staff in the hospitals with less bed capacity.

    The chairman, therefore, urged Nigerians to take advantage of the equipment and qualified medical personnel at the facility to reverse medical tourism.

    Magaji tasked the medical personnel to improve their attitude towards patients, and charged the institution to reclaim its reputation for providing quality and affordable health care services.

    This, according to him, can be achieved through strict adherence to ethics and improved commitment to the system.

    Magaji commended the unions in the hospital for staying to serve their country while many medical personnel were moving out of the country.

    Earlier, Prof. Hamid Umdagas, Chief Medical Director of the Hospital told the committee that the manpower and electricity was the major challenge of the hospital.

    He said that the 1, 000-bed capacity hospital which has six satellite stations, 40 clinical and non-clinical departments was grappling with 2, 805 staff strength as of Thursday.

    According to him, the `japa syndrome’ hit hard on the human resources for health at the facility, some of the staff just disappeared while few had retired.

    He said cumulative monthly generation from both HSRF and Drug Revolving Fund stands at N64, 271, 387.68.million.

    “In May, the hospital received an electricity bill of N75 million while in ABUTH Shika alone, we paid between N18 million and N20 million for  diesel to power generators.

    “This has superseded our monthly IGR including our overhead cost and led to a sharp decrease in health outcomes at the facility,’’ he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

    AM/JPE

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    Edited by Joseph Edeh