‘We need more wards, beds at 44 Army Hospital, Kaduna’

It was gathered that some buildings in the N7 billion project are yet to be completed due to lack of funds. When our correspondent visited the hospital penultimate Thursday, labourers were not seen at the yet to be completed buildings. It was, however, observed that most of the buildings, including the generator house, have been […]

It was gathered that some buildings in the N7 billion project are yet to be completed due to lack of funds. When our correspondent visited the hospital penultimate Thursday, labourers were not seen at the yet to be completed buildings. It was, however, observed that most of the buildings, including the generator house, have been completed while access roads are at 72 per cent completion.
 Sunday Trust observed that when completed, the hospital would be one of the best in Africa, as state-of-the-art facilities, including 16 city scanners, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), fluoroscopy, digital x-ray, mobile equipment for index, as well as other equipment installed at the hospital can adequately help in the treatment of the ailments that take Nigerians abroad to seek medication.
The contract to upgrade the radiology facility and the hospital in general was awarded in 2009 at the sum of N7 billion, which is expected to include structural works for the radiology equipment to be delivered by General Electric of the
 United States. The contract also includes the installation of six 800kva generators to provide constant electricity for the equipment.
On April 27, 2013 when army authorities gave journalists the opportunity to tour the facility, it was observed that all the masonry work at the Radiology Department, initially located at the right wing of Block A, had been completed, as well as the lead lining of radioactive rooms and the earthing of electrical and mechanical equipment. The gantries, incinerator and generator house, including other auxiliary buildings had all been completed.
Gerard roof tiles and aluminum windows have all been installed in the  buildings. The heating and air conditioning system is also 95 per cent completed, just as the installation of stainless steel balcony and staircases, medical gas piping and standard hospital doors and furniture has been completed.
But the management of the hospital is not happy that the institution is not 100 per cent completed.
A staff member of the hospital, who preferred anonymity, said: “Actually,  those of us working here face a lot of problems. Patients keep coming to this  hospital, but we do not have enough ward/rooms for admission. You know, this hospital is for both civilians and military. The project is almost completed but work has stopped. We don’t know why the project stopped.
“During the recent twin bomb blasts that occurred in the state, patients did not have bed spaces, and we could not refuse to admit them at that critical time, so some patients had to stay in the corridors to receive treatment due to inadequate rooms and bed spaces. If the hospital had been completed, patients and members of staff would not face that sought of hardship,” he said.
Another staff member who spoke to our reporter said: “Sometimes you see contractors’ vehicles here, but other times none of them come. And due to the non-completion of the hospital building, nurses are underpaid because they are not being paid directly from army headquarters. You can imagine a nurse working in the 44 Hospital and earning only N30, 000.”
When contacted, the corps commander, medical, Major-General Obashina Ogunbiyi, said the completion of the project in 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital was critical to health care delivery in the Nigerian Army.    
“This project is one of the priorities of the Nigerian Army (NA). However, we are all aware that the NA is at the moment dealing with insurgency, which is threatening the survival of our dear country. That is where all attention is now.  If you were the head of the Nigerian Army at this point in our history, I am sure you would have prioritised the insurgency in the North-East ahead of any other project. Having said that, I want to assure you and everyone concerned about the seeming slow pace of work on the project, that the project is not abandoned.”
  On the allegation that nurses are underpaid due to the non-completion of the hospital, he said, “As some workers, especially nurses have rightly pointed out, they were engaged by the hospital and not the army headquarters. It then follows that a slowdown in the development of the hospital will have a corresponding impact on other processes.
My advice to the nurses, who must be commended for their sacrifices, is that they should remain steadfast and continue to bear with the management of the hospital.  I believe that very soon, their condition of service and other related issues affecting the hospital would be addressed.”
  On how much has been released for the project so far, he said, “The headquarters of the Nigerian Army Medical Corps was not the awarding authority for the contract. It also did not supervise the project; therefore, I do not have information on the contract sum and how much has been released so far.”
Ogunbiyi, however, said that everything possible would be done to ensure that work resumes on the yet-to-be-completed buildings in the hospital as soon as possible.