May 06, (THEWILL) – There is rising fear among residents and patients at hospital and medical centres in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, over the alleged inability of the office of the Mandate Secretary (Commissioner) of Health Services & Environment in the Federal Capital Territory Administration to pay up its internet subscription for hospital approvals and operations.
Some patients and residents were reportedly turned back by hospital managements for fear of sanctions from the FCTA over operating without the required approvals, while at the same time, the office of the Mandate Secretary has allegedly failed to pay for the internet subscriptions that the FCTA agency needs to approve and issue licences.
A hospital administrator, Prof. Julius Oviawe, who made this known in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, at the weekend, expressed his frustration at abandoning a scheduled medical service in a hospital in Abuja and move to the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) for service over the failure of the officials of the FCTA Health Services & Environment to promptly act as required.
According to him, the hospital management, which he refused to mention, are at loss and disbelief that Dr (Mrs) Adedolapo Fasawe, the Mandate Secretary (Commissioner) of Health Services & Environment in the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Abuja, allegedly failed to renew her agency’s internet subscription thereby causing hospitals across the FCT to delay rendering life-saving medical services to the patients because these hospitals are waiting to receive approvals from the FCTA, whose internet subscription expired long ago with no hope of restoration.
Another medical practitioner, Dr (Mrs) Adejoke Fashanu, a British-trained Medical Doctor, who spoke on the telephone from Abuja, accused the office of the Mandate Secretary of gross incompetence.
She called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to immediately investigate the allegations and ensure the subscriptions are paid, “and those involved, including the Mandate Secretary, should be queried or sanctioned.
“What they have done is place approvals for hospital operations on hold and put the lives of patients at risk due to their alleged failure to pay the agency’s internet subscription, leaving patients and hospitals in disarray across the FCT.”
Fashanu called on the Minister of the FCT, H.E. Chief Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, to immediately launch an investigation into these gross failures under his leadership, and when these allegations are proven to be true, he should immediately suspend the Mandate Secretary.
“These are some of the reasons why our doctors are fleeing overseas. In fact, it is embarrassing and disgusting that up until a few weeks ago, Adedolapo Fasawe’s Health Services & Environment in the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) only had one vehicle to patrol the entire FCT for hospitals and medical facilities inspections and approval.”
“And now, they have two vehicles, and they are celebrating that they have made progress. Both the President and the FCT Minister should act immediately to deter such from happening across the country, because issues like these bastardise the name of our beloved country.”
Amos Okioma is a Correspondent at THEWILL
