Headache patients stressing specialist hospitals – CMD

The Chief Medical Director of Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital (DASH) Lafia, Nasarawa State, Dr Ikrama Hassan, has said that patients suffering from headache are hampering smooth service delivery at specialist hospitals. He said, “DASH is full of cases that should be treated at the primary health care centres (PHCs). Majority of the cases that we […]

The Chief Medical Director of Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital (DASH) Lafia, Nasarawa State, Dr Ikrama Hassan, has said that patients suffering from headache are hampering smooth service delivery at specialist hospitals.

He said, “DASH is full of cases that should be treated at the primary health care centres (PHCs). Majority of the cases that we treat here are actually supposed to be treated at the PHCs. It is still worrisome that somebody will wake up and feel headache and goes to straight to DASH.”

He said there were breakdowns at primary levels of health care and to some extent secondary level at times making people to lose confidence in them. However , he added that they have been revived, and people should know that the centres could handle “headache, malaria, ulcer, simple antenatal care and the rest.”

The CMD said it is only when they cannot handle it that they refer patients to specialist hospitals. “It is sad how specialists spend most of their time attending to simple medical issues instead of complex cases like dialysis, IVF, heart disease among others, Dr Hassan said.

He said that was why the hospital, in collaboration with government, is creating awareness on the need for people to first access PHCs before referral  to hospitals.