Benue: Sick state in hands of 30 doctors
The story of Benue is that of a state with ever-rising mortality rate, especially amongst women and children, both susceptible to avoidable deaths resulting from minor complications in labour rooms. The story is not necessary that of the incurable absence of power supply in the only state yet to be linked to national grid, a […]
The story of Benue is that of a state with ever-rising mortality rate, especially amongst women and children, both susceptible to avoidable deaths resulting from minor complications in labour rooms. The story is not necessary that of the incurable absence of power supply in the only state yet to be linked to national grid, a development which prompts many deaths as a result of power outages during major operations in the theatres. It is simply that of a problem of the inadequacy of doctors in the few state-owned and barely functional hospitals where supervision and drugs are almost absent.
With an exploding population spreading across 23 far-flung local government areas, only 30 poorly paid doctors are in the employ of the state government. They have been condemned to take less than N70,000 home on a monthly basis.
At Wanune, in Tarka local government area, patients at the new general hospital told our correspondent that the life of a patient under only one doctor is not the same as it is at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in the nearby Makurdi where the federal government has availed many doctors. “We come here because of the nearness. Those who don’t mind the distance all go to Makurdi where they are sure of good treatment in the hands of many doctors and good facilities,” said a patient who refused to declare his identity.
The Medical Officer (MO) in charge of the hospital, whose name was given only as Dr. Akaanger, could not be reached since he was on strike at the time our correspondent visited the hospital, but nurses under him said the doctor has been overstretched beyond his capacity, having to attend to every patient in the face of lack of good facilities, coupled with poor pay.
A middle-aged patient suffering from a protracted ailment refused to give his identity beyond the fact that he is called Ogbu. He travels all the way from Utonkon in the distant Ado local government area of the state to attend the FMC in Makurdi every month. Ogbu has done this routine trip from Utonkon to Makurdi for a period dragging for years now, and he has become accustomed to it. Therefore, he will not complain since, according to him, “my mouth has run dry of saliva for complaining alone”.
The 30 doctors in the employ of the state are also not unaware of this development, but they have made their choice to remain against all odds and work for humanity and God. Governor Gabriel Suswam’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Cletus Akwaya, traced the problem of the gross inadequacy of doctors to 1994 when the state started witnessing a mass drain from its employ. At that time, he said, Benue had a good number, although he failed to mention how many the doctors were before now. But he said the doctors that left the state’s employment for greener pasture left for a lack of a good welfare package.
At this period, Benue had only a few general hospitals and yet, investigation showed the hospitals had over 60 doctors, collectively, waiting on patients. The hospitals were in Makurdi, Otupko, Gboko, Katsina-Ala, Okpoga, Vandeikya and Aliede. Over 60 doctors spread in few hospitals was a significant development against what is now the case in the state – general hospitals springing up to make 23, according to the number of local government areas in the state, with only about 30 doctors to manage and run them all.
State Chairman of Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Bem Ageda spoke to Weekly Trust, saying “it has been a major source of worry for us as a union. We severally sought government’s attention on this very disturbing development – a single doctor to attend to outpatients, those on admission, to do checks, carry out operations, run administration and still be on call on the same day”. Dr. Agede, who recently led the doctors on a prolonged and indefinite strike to press for a remedy on the gross under-staffing as well as improved welfare package, told our correspondent that it has not been easy working as a doctor in the state. “The system just can’t work in that kind of a situation.”
The doctors’ strike is one of many issues which have collectively paralyzed healthcare delivery in the state. First, the issue of understaffing; second, that of poor pay package and third, the slapping of huge taxes of questionable definitions.
Although they finally called off the about three months old strike a few days ago, the unhappy doctors said they did so not because the promise of government to implement part of their demands was good enough, but for the sake of humanity.
But Dr. Ageda nevertheless commended Governor Suswam, explaining that he is confident the governor will implement the promises of improvement made and sustain it to some heights where the new pay package will improve. “We are confident the governor can do. Thank God there is a change at the Benue State Health Management Board. That means a clear departure from the past”. The government announced its promise through Governor Gabriel Suswam’s PSecial Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Cletus Akwaya who passed re-echoed his boss’ appeal for the striking doctors to suspend their industrial action and return to the hospitals.
He said the approval followed a memorandum by the state’s Head of Service, Mr. Mike Iordye which prescribed Harmonized Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure (HATISS), to put doctors and other health professionals in the state on a welfare package they have yearned for in the past nine years. The adviser said the approved HATISS will raise the wage bill of the state to about N100 million, just as he announced plans to beef up the number of doctors to at least 72.
He gave the newly approved salary structure for a fresh medical doctor as HATISS 10 step 1 at of N136,818.85k as against N88,415.44k presently paid. He also said Also pharmacists and laboratory scientists at the entry point would be employed on HATISS 9 step 2 with a take home salary of N72,692.85k as against N52,335 which they are being paid at present. For nurses and midwives, he said they will be employed on HATISS 7 step 1 with a take home pay of N35,172 as against the N31,000 they are being paid presently.
However, commencement of payment of the present salary structure would be August 1, 2009, just as arrears would not be paid for want of funds. Benue State Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Jairus Erube disclosed that, apart from the proposed improvement on the welfare of doctors and their numbers, the government has approved the restructuring of seven Primary Health Care Centres in the state into general hospitals. Dr. Erube said the conversion of the health centres was approved by the State Executive Council (SEC) while considering a memo to it on the need to strengthen health care delivery in the state. Erube said already plans are to award contracts for the upgrading of the facilities to acceptable standard, adding that the plan will spread quality healthcare throughout the state. Meanwhile, the doctors are still waiting, yawning.