Not just PLSG, but we are all culpable for the decay of Plateau Hospital

If health is wealth as it is commonly said –then the myriad of our citizens in Plateau must be living in “health poverty” because the main health institution (Plateau Hospital) which should provide this wealth is in a desperate and deplorable state.

Plateau Hospital – once the hallmark of medical pride, pharmaceutical excellence and therapeutic finesse, is now an eye-sore, a disgrace and a symbol of decay and despair. The once enviable jewel of Plateau now lies in ruins and decrepitude……

Everything from the quality of care, drugs supply, medic-aid to infrastructure lies in utter ruins –the result of years of neglect, endemic corruption and misappropriation.

In the 2016 budget, N6,379,487,712.00 was budgeted for the health sector, for the renovation, construction and equipping of various hospitals in the state. For Plateau hospital specifically, N168,243,726.000 was said to have been earmarked for the renovation and re-equipping of facilities. See below:

So the question remains, what has happened to these funds? If these funds are in the budget, then where have they gone? How come this hospital, which is the only hope of the common Plateau man (civil servants, farmers, teachers, youth and low income earners) –who cannot afford the private hospitals that our top government functionaries can, is left is this desperate state? What is sad is that, it is not only Plateau hospital that has been neglected in this manner –many of the other hospitals for which large sums were appropriated in the 2016 budget for renovation or re-equipping, have not seen any renovation work and continue operating as death traps for ordinary citizens.

As if that is not enough, in the 2017 budget, another N4,371,943,726.00 was again appropriated for renovating and upgrading hospitals across the state. And so we (i.e., yourself, myself and everyone on the Plateau), must hold government accountable, to ensure that these additional fund are expended on the said projects.

It is on record that on 14^th June 2017, the governor of Plateau state, Barr. Simon Lalong rightly visited the hospital to assess the level of decrepitude. During the tour, he expressed deep concerns about the level of dilapidation promising to revamp it. But ViewPointNigeria’s investigations reveal that the real extent of the issues at the hospital were not revealed to the Governor –he was painted a much more rosy picture of the true affairs of things.

And so ViewPointNigeria visited the hospital and interviewed nurses, doctors, patients and support staff to get a better idea of the real state of things at the hospital, below are the findings.

Deficiency of Hospital Equipment/Drugs: Many wards lack hospital beds and basic consumables. Patients result to sleeping on floors in many cases. Sadly, drugs are almost always unavailable too and patients are having to go out and purchase these themselves.

Scanning Machine: Only one functional scanning machine exists at the hospital –and this is typically ran on an old generator which always has issues. Also, lack of money to fuel the generator is a constant excuse. Staff who confided in ViewPointNigeria suggested that this has led to many avoidable deaths. When our reporter visited the scanning area, he was confronted by a very sad and pathetic situation –approximtely 30 people were waiting to be scanned, and some had been waiting for over 7 hours.

Power Supply: Almost the entire hospital is powered by small generators. The epileptic power supply has meant that very sensitive operations, and medical procedures cannot be performed and where these are performed, some fatalities do arise because of challenges of power.

Dilapidated and Unhygienic wards: Most of the wards are dirty, unkempt and unhygienic. One can only wonder how many patients end up contracting other diseases in such dirty environments.

Mortuary: The mortuary has three panels, but only one is functional. Many corpses which had been embalmed were found littered on the floors (some already decaying), because of the dysfunctional panels and freezer.