Reps request for detailed brief on State House Clinic

The House of Representatives on Thursday demanded for detailed information on the management of Aso Rock Clinic from the minister of health and his Federal Capital Territory (FCT) counterpart.

This demand was made by the ad hoc committee constituted by the House to investigate the running of the clinic following allegations of dearth of medical equipment and drugs at the facility.

Appearing before the ad hoc committee, the two government officials yesterday, displayed a scanty knowledge of the administration of the clinic.
Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire told the ad hoc committee that the State House Clinic was not directly under the ministry of health.

Testifying before the Rep. Magaji Aliyu led ad hoc committee, the minister stated that “the State House Clinic is not directly under my ministry. I don’t know who is in-charge. I didn’t say that it is not under anybody, maybe under the FCT.

“It is not unusual that the clinic is not under the ministry, this is also applicable in some states. This is what we met on ground.
”Whatever happened now was based on what we met on ground, it’s not the fault of this administration,’’ he said.

The minister further said he did not know which ministry administers the clinic, declaring that “we are not aware of the internal running of the clinic and problems existing there.
Asked if the clinic was licenced, the minister said that it was assumed that the clinic was licenced, adding that the accreditation of hospitals was under the state, when applicable to states, but in the case of the State House Clinic it should be under the FCT.
Commenting on who appoints doctors for the clinic and their status, the minister said, “I am not aware of the status of the training of the doctors practicing at the clinic.

The choice of who heads the clinic lies on the President. It is the prerogative of the President.”
Speaking further on the clinic, Ehanire explained that the clinic ought to be operated in line with regular hospitals.

Similarly, the FCT Health Secretary, Mrs. Amanda Pam told lawmakers that the clinic was not under the purview of the FCT administration.
She further explained that the Federal Capital Territory administration has 16 registered hospitals, adding that the State House Clinic was not registered under the hospitals controlled by the administration.

“The FCTA has 16 registered hospitals. The State House Clinic is not registered among these hospitals. The clinic does not fall under our purview. I don’t know who is in charge of the clinic,” the secretary said.
The Senior Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Kawu Sumaila, in his testimony stated that the State House Clinic was being operated like the National Assembly Clinic.

He, however, did not mention who was responsible for the management of the clinic.
Based on conflicting testimonies from the two officials, the ad hoc committee chairman demanded for detailed information about the administration and funding of the clinic.
He said “the summary of the whole thing is that the clinic is just there; it is not supervised and is not under anybody.

“The ministry of health and the FCT administration said they are not aware, meaning the hospital is just there. I want all information on the clinic. We can’t afford to risk the life of Mr. President and somebody should be responsible.”
It would be recalled that the House had on October 12, 2017, queried the allocation of over N11billion to the State House Clinic and why in spite of the huge funds, the clinic was in a deplorable condition.

Henry Omunu, Abuja