OPEN UP OUR TRAUMA CENTRE (JOHESU) SEEKS REPS INTERVENTION
The Joint Health Sector Union of Nigeria, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital Chapter marking the democracy day have called out to the House of Representatives to intervene in the opening up of their trauma centre.
The chairman of the JOHESU branch of University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Comrade Oricha Stephen while speaking to our National Assembly correspondent referred to their submitted memorandum to the public hearing of the House Committee on Health Institutions to investigate the joint venture agreement between UATH Gwagwalada and Crystal Thorpe Nigeria Ltd. He said for a period of three years they have been enmeshed in the struggle to stop an attempt by Federal Ministry of Health hiding under the guise of Public Private Partnership (PPP) to privatize an edifice originally conceived out of the compelling desire to expand a visible inadequate Accident and Emergency Unit and other departments of the Hospital without due process.
The chairman of National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, doubles the secretary of JOHESU-UATH branch, Mrs Paulina appeals for the quick intervention of the house committee on health institutions. This was apt in view of the fact that, the hospital is strategically located along a trunk A road linking many states of the Federation. Due to it’s accessibilities and being a reference hospital, it has been a readymade centre to accident victims, victims of disaster and other acute medical and surgical conditions at any given time of the day. She analysed a situation where a member of House of Representatives, Hon. Anayo O. Edwin representing Ebonyi Federal Constituency had an accident and was treated on the floor due to congestion of the unit.
Reiterating their position, the chairman NUAHP- UATH branch, Christopher Rwang Pam said that in the case of blaring infrastructural decay and constraint of space, the Trauma centre be used strictly for the original purpose for which it was conceived. That the sitting of the Crystal Thrope Multi Specialist Centre (CTMSC) in the premises of UATH, a tertiary hospital is akin to having a hospital within another hospital which is capable of generating conflict of interests and catalyst for industrial crisis.
Chairman SSA- UATH Pharmacist Telling N. Maxwell reveals that to watch the diversion of the only superlative structure built to fill a wide gap is to loose sleep completely. He said that the lack of transparency and due process in the concessional bidding process casts a dark cloud of suspicion on the integrity of the entire process. That in view of the visible constraint of space in the casualty vis a vis it’s strategic location location along a major high way (Trunk A road), it is on record that the present seven couches casualty unit is grossly inadequate for a teaching hospital of their status considering the mass casualties it receives on a daily basis and the hospital has on several occasions turned down victims. The claim that Government has no money to equip the structure it earlier budgeted for was frivolous and weak.
The Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) UATH branch is an umbrella body of all the duly registered trade unions in the hospital. These unions comprised of NANNM, SSA, MHWUN, NAUAP AND NASU.
JOHESU has remained a key interest in the issue been investigated and do appreciate the House of Representatives for intervening in this matter in the hope that it can be finally laid to rest.
By Adeboye Omoboye Oluwole