Benue teaching hospital decries staff shortage

The Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH) has lamented what it called acute shortage of staff to attend to the health needs of patients.
The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of BSUTH, Professor Orkurga Malu, during a press briefing to mark the fourth anniversary of the hospital, said the facility was supposed to have at least three times the number of staff currently in its employ.
“In a well established teaching hospital such as ours, we should have over 2000 staff. The hospital at the moment has about 900 staff in its employment. Of the number, 222 are doctors and among them, we have 89 consultants, 110 residents and 23 house officers. We don’t have psychologists and nutritionists who will help malnourished children,” he said.
Malu, said though the hospital is doing its best to deliver on its mandate, there were still challenges.
He said diseases such as Malaria, HIV/AIDS, Hpertatitis, liver cancer, fibroid, prostrate and breast cancer we among leading cases handled at the hospital.
He called on both the federal and state governments, including donor agencies to assist the hospital.