Communities urge FCTA to upgrade healthcare centres

Residents of Idu, Gwagwa, Karmo and Jiwa communities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have urged the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to upgrade the three primary healthcare centres in the communities to general hospitals.

Some of the residents told correspondents of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the centres were being operated without adequate personnel and drugs for patients.

Mrs. Blessing Osita lamented the acute shortage of facilities and personnel in the centres to meet the increasing demand for healthcare services in the area.

According to her, the centres need to be upgraded, equipped with drugs, medical facilities and as well as commence 24 hours operation.

She said the idea was to reduce incidences of death resulting from referral cases during odd times from the centres to the General Hospital in Gwarimpa.

Mr. Iheoma Udozurumba expressed dismay over the attitude of some medical personnel in the centres to patients.

“The last time I took a patient to the hospital, I was not happy about the kind of treatment she got.

“They should equip the clinic; get qualified doctors and nurses that know what they are doing.

“Not nurses that when you get to the place, everybody will feel less concerned because when the month ends, they will get their salaries.

“I believe access to medical care will be easier when they upgrade the centres to General Hospitals,” he said.

Mrs. Maria Boniface NAN that most residents of the communities preferred to patronise private hospitals instead of government owned health facilities in the area.

She blamed the decline in the patronage of government owned facilities to high cost and the unfriendly character of some health personnel in the facilities.

“When we go there, they will not like to take care of us and the nurses there take delight in abusing us, especially as I am now pregnant.

“If I am in labour for instance, they will insist I must get everything before they will attend to me but it is not like that in private hospitals.

“When you go to private hospitals, whether you have money or not, they don’t care, they will deliver you before telling you the amount to be paid,” she said.

An official of one of the healthcare centres who spoke under condition of anonymity blamed the non-availability of drugs on inadequate funding.

She told NAN that the availability of drugs in the centre depended on the level of patronage.

The official said the centre was fully responsible for the monthly payment of its 19 causal workers, adding that the hospital relied on revenue it generates internally.

According to her, we have a regular programme where members of staff are trained on proper ways of relating with patients.

When NAN contacted the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) Head of Information, Mrs. Patience Olaloye said that the council was doing everything possible to provide essential services to residents.

On health, she said “the present administration has taken health issue as one of its priorities, so we are doing our best to provide more of such centres’’.