Dr.Ikram Tackling The Daunting Challenges Of Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, Lafia

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Rabiu Omaku

The Chief Medical Director of Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, Lafia has reiterated his determination towards rescuing the hospital which was enveloped with daunting challenges before his appointment barely eleven months.

In an exclusive interview with selected Journalists, the CMD, Dr.Ikram Hassan promised to inject life to the then General hospital before it was elevated to the status of a Specialist hospital, few months after assuming the mantle of leadership the hospital has passed through total  upgrade ranging from facilities to the building of “State of the Art”  storey clinics.

The management of DASH in a concerted effort to make the tertiary health facility to stand the taste of time and make services affordable to the broad-spectrum populace has embarked on the expansion of structures.

The State Government did not relent on its determination by installing sophisticated equipment to make the hospital compete with other Specialist hospitals in the country.Dr. Ikram described the hospital on his assumption as a mere health care facility in dire need of urgent attention.

The CMD asserted that some of the daunting challenges range from inadequate manpower, obsolete facilities, and infrastructures, in the area of workforce, Dr. Ikram reeled out that shortage of workers including doctors perturbed the Specialist hospital.

Other are in the tertiary health facility having daunting changes according to him also include a shortage of consultants as well as the Registrars, Pharmacists, Laboratory Scientist, and Technicians.

INFRASTRUCTURES

Dr.Ikram Hassan said the hospital has only 200-bed space for the entire population leading to congestion, he further maintained that the first step was the expansion and upgrading of the Accident and Emergency Unit which he said has only thirteen bed-space, making A&E Unit unfavorable to patients, consultants, and doctors.

Ikram attested that space to accommodate patients is a problem too many. Is now history as the story of patients receiving treatment on a bare floor in the Casualty Department is a thing of the past, saying the narrative has changed by expansion bed-space from thirteen to thirty-three.

.”The hospital has the hiccups of bed-space which is no longer news, lacking enough clinics, wards for surgery”.

Equipment

He explained that must of the Units are also lacking, in addition, said some Units are just existing by name without equipment.

NEW STOREY BUILDING CLINICS

The headship of the DASH buttressed that the State Government has built 200 bed-space that would tackle the many challenges, stating further that the new wards and clinics would accommodate twice the number of patients coming to the tertiary health facility.Dr.Ikram Hassan.

DECRIED ABSENCE OF OFFICE ACCOMMODATION.

The Chief Medical Director while briefing Journalists averred acute shortage of office accommodation compelled both consultants and doctors to seek for an alternative, now we boost enough offices for consultants, doctors, and administrative staff. “Lack of offices for consultants foist them to see patients and leave if they come to the hospital they don’t have a place to sit, The State Government has tackled this headlong.

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF RADIOLOGY UNIT.

Speaking on the State of equipment,Ikram, however, maintained that the tertiary health facility has a new brand of radiology, ACT Scan machine that can stand the taste of time.DASH has a Radiology Unit, the saying is grossly insufficient for the population, other available equipment according to the CMD was the procurement of equipment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

“Everything is set for the accreditation of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology by the West Africa College of Surgeons and Surgery and Pediatrics Department likewise.

ACCESS TO INTERNET FACILITY

The management of Dalhatu Araf Specialist hospital is also poised to encourage research work in the State tertiary health facility by providing internet services to the hospital, the CMD said the feat was to encourage doctors and consultants to have access to the global village, according to him,”

“The free internet services is to update our staff in times of research work and communication between doctors in DASH and their counterparts”.

USE OF CCTV CAMERA TO COMBAT CRIME The headship of DASH explained that the hospital was experiencing the increasing cases of crime and criminality, adding that the issue of security was a serious obstacle, as he confided that cases of theft were recorded on a daily basis.

“We have revamped our security network in the hospital through the installation of CCTV camera in all nooks and crannies of the hospital”, he added.

OUTPATIENTS

The management reiterated that the commencement of SERVICOM operation in DASH, The hospital has made a giant stride in the area of outpatients, adding that the commencement of activities of SERVICOM has given rise to the increasing number of outpatients as well improvement in medical care.

Dr.Ikram Hassan lauded the gigantic stride of the former Governor of the State, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura for turning around the hospital.

In the structure are two wards for male and female patients as well clinic and an administrative block while the top building, consultants units, and offices.

Ikram denied the rumor making round that there is a hike in medical bills by the new Chief Medical Director, saying it was a mere grapevine.

While reacting over the diversion of patients by doctors in DASH to their private clinics, he gave a staunch warning to doctors to desist or face the full wrath of the tertiary health facility.

“Some doctors were suspended for involving in such activities, and I assured you if you have such information please let us know”, He pleaded.

The CMD also denied the hike in drugs sold by the hospital management under the Drug Revolving Fund,he however maintained that the sales of drugs in Specialist is no longer compulsory as it use to be, stating that patients have the alternative to either procured genuine drugs but are costly or go for counterfeit drugs which cannot heal a patient.

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