Thought Leadership

Behold our finest public hospital

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We have previously written a blog titled: National Hospital Abuja: Unrealised Expectations. Pls read it to put the rest of the blog in perspective.



Our interest was aroused by several reports in the press this week….with titles similar to this:

Nigeria: National Hospital Rejects Health Ministry

Now read the comments of the Chief Medical Director, a former personal physician to President Obasanjo, Dr. Olusegun Ajuwon OON. To get to know him better read a recent interview…aptly titled “I Owe My Success to God”.

The news paper reports state…

….The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the National Hospital, Abuja, Dr. Segun Ajuwon has protested moves by the National Assembly to transfer the supervision of the hospital from the Presidency to the Federal Ministry of Health.

….Dr. Ajuwon decried the state of the 53 hospitals currently under the ministry, saying the National Hospital would not like to join them.

…Dr. Ajuwon said the hospital has the best cancer treatment centre in the country, adding that “the equipment has been down for two years now and it requires N45 million for repairs. The new one costs about $1.9 million USD which is about N200 million.”

In the last 9 years, we have had four boards; it makes nonsense of effective planning”, he stated.

…Dr. Ajuwon also told senators that the hospital’s MRI, which is first of its kind in the country, has also broken down. He estimated its repair cost at N70 million.

Chairman of the Senate Committee, Senator Smart Adeyemi (PDP, Kogi West) said they were at the hospital to ascertain state of facilities as, “We are particularly concerned that 48 years after independence we still refer ailments of important personalities abroad.”

…Senator Smart Adeyemi, Chairman of the Senate committee who led the team, said they were impressed with standards of the National Hospital.

Honestly…I have never come across such a self indictment of mismanagement in the public domain. It really is a shame that the National Hospital, that should serve as the primary tertiary care facility in the hospital cannot be managed to succeed both as a 1st class medical facility and a successfull finacially self sufficient entity.

My thesis…Our biggest problem in health and health care in Nigeria is not a deficiency of doctors, hospitals or clinical expertise….but simply a lack of strategic leadership …especially in the public sector.

Aluta

http://www.nigeriahealthwatch.com/

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed people can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has…Margaret Mead

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