STATE OF THE
NATIONAL HOSPITAL

THE appointment of a new Chief Medical Director (CMD) for the National Hospital, Abuja can be regarded not only as a timely step in the right direction, but also positive indication that the authories will firmly address the present critical situation of the prime health insitution. It is expected that the appointee will bring his wealth of experience and competence to bear on and rekindle public confidence in the hospital.
Its sorry state is certainly an embarrassment and a big minus for the present rebranding campaign. It is indeed unfortunate that at a period when the leadership is aggressively striving to portray Nigeria in positive light, a hospital of this status which is supposed to be the leading health establishment is in bad shape and cannot cater for the health challenges of people. New Nigerian had been worried that many patients who patronize the hospital mostly narrate tales of woe, while the facility’s environment remains unkempt. The deterioration is such that SERVICOM in its latest report titled “A nation of ailing hospitals” scored the National Hospital a lowly 45.5 per cent in terms of service delivery.
The National Hospital was initially established in 1999 as a Specialist Hospital for women and children, but was later converted to a bigger health facility with the objective of enhancing the health care needs of Nigerians. The Federal Government had set out to make the hospital the flagship of medical institutions by providing it with sophisticated equipments and professionals that can compete favourably with their counterparts in other parts of the world. However, it soon became apparent that the enthusiasm of government at the early stage waned and it is unable to achieve its mission ten years after. What we now have are overstretched and worn out equipment inadequate for the hundreds of patients who troop in daily for treatment or admission. Cases of missing medical files were allegedly rampant as a result of the nonchalant attitude of staff, a situation that further frustrated those who go to seek medical attention.
We believe government must not shirk its responsibility while an institution that has the potential to greatly improving the health situation in the country fumbles. We therefore implore the authority to commence the process of rehabilitating, re-equpping and refocusing the hospital. Funds should be made available for the efficient running of the facility. The management is equally expected to improve on service delivery by insisting on the standard in the performance of staff. Whatever resources made available must be judiciously utilized in replacing outdated equipments, upgrading the laboratory, overhauling the wards and generally making the environment more patient-friendly. Certainly, if the standard of the hospital is upgraded to the level of those abroad, the number of personalities who rush outside our shores for treatment will reduce and funds saved.
Since effective health care delivery is usually top priority, services at the National Hospital should be affordable to the masses. In addition, it must be equipped to tackle critical health challenges such as, cancer and maternal mortality. It should serve as a beacon of hope for the citizenry, a standard referral point and credible testimony of the status of the nation’s health care delivery capable of attracting patronage from sister African and other countries.