The University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) is providing only skeletal services due to the ongoing nationwide strike by the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) and challenge of Boko Haram.
Bashir Tahir, the Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC), said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Maiduguri.
Mr. Tahir said it would be disastrous to close down the hospital because of strike and the challenges of the insurgency in the state.
He said about 300 doctors were working in all departments of the hospital to provide some services to patients and clients.
He listed some of the departments to include kidney centre, accident and emergency, surgical, operation theatre, ultra sound centre and the radiology.
A NAN correspondent who went round the hospital confirmed that the services were being provided at the surgical ward, operation theatre, medical ward, radiology department, accident and emergency unit, ultra sound and kidney centres.
Abdulkarim Yahaya, one of the patients at the Accident and Emergency Ward, told NAN that doctors have been attending to them.
Mr Yahaya, who suffered injuries as a result of accident, said the doctors have been coming to check him and providing him with all the necessary assistance.
Usman Chiroma, another patient at the male ward, commended the hospital for attending to patients despite the strike.
Chiroma Bukar, the father of the patient, said the resident doctors always come around to check his son.
“They always come around to check my son and he is recuperating. His health has improved compared to when we came,” he said.
Binta Isa, a patient at the kidney centre, said the doctors, nurses and portal have been very supportive.
Reacting, Umar Abdulkadir, UNIMAID Chairman of JOHESU, said it was supporting the hospital management because of the insurgency.
Mr Umar said: “After due consultation with the national union, we decided to allow the management to continue providing services with support of some of our members.
“Some of our staff are still working in the hospital despite the strike,’’ he said. (NAN)
Never miss a moment! Get the stories shaping Nigeria, delivered straight to your phone. Follow Peoplesdaily Newspaper on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive reports, and the headlines everyone will be talking about, before anyone else.
