Students of the Federal University Dutse (FUD), have called on the federal government and management of the university to, as matter of fairness, consider the Rasheed Shekoni Specialist Hospital as the institution’s teaching hospital.
Speaking to Chronicle in Dutse yesterday, some of the medical students of the institution said they preferred Rasheed Shekoni hospital to be considered teaching hospital of the university rather than the Federal Medical Center Birnin Kudu.
Farida Idris, a 200 level medical student of the university, said government and the management of the school should put into consideration the plights of the students while choosing between FMC Birnin Kudu and Rahseed Shekoni hospitals.
She said, “in terms of proximity and facilities, Shekoni Hospital is far better than FMC Birnin Kudu. The location of the hospital is suitable and it has enough modern facilities to serve as a teaching hospital.”
Animu Jibril, another 200 level medical student, said: “I prefer Rasheed Shekoni to be consider as the teaching hospital for the university because of so many reasons. First, medical students will not suffer before getting to the hospital because of proximity. In case of any emergency, the students could easily get to the hospital and conduct their practical without any delay.
“The Shekoni hospital is just a stone throw from the university, but the FMC Birnin Kudu is about 60 kilometers away from Dutse, the location of the university. Apart from the distance, it is apparent that the road is terribly bad, hence accident is frequent in the area.
“To be honest, most students could not afford going to Birnin Kudu for their studies because most of us are from poor background. So, government should consider our plight and take Rasheed Shekoni as the teaching hospital for the university.”
Also commenting, the President of the Students Union Government (SUG) FUD’s chapter, Muhammad Tasi’u Abbas, said, “I was opportuned to be part of the entourage that accompanied the Minister of Health, Mr Osagie Ehanire during his assessment visit to the hospitals and to be frank there is no way one can compare Rasheed Shekoni with FMC Birnin Kudu when it comes to the issue of which among the two hospitals deserves to be the teaching hospital for FUD.
“Rasheed Shekoni is far better than FMC Birnin Kudu. First, with N150 a student can transport himself to Shekoni but that amount cannot take him to FMC Birnin Kudu. In terms of safety, Shekoni hospital also has an upper hand because based on my discussion with my colleagues at School of Nursing, Birnin Kudu, the school lost 15 students in auto accidents along Birnin Kudu road.
“When it comes to the issue of rehabilitation, the federal government will spend less in rehabilitation of Shekoni than the FMC Birnin Kudu. So, for me, the Shekoni hospital is the best hospital to be considered as teaching hospital for FUD.”
It would be recalled that the federal ministry of health had undertook an assessment tour to both Federal Medical Center Birnin Kudu and Rasheed Shekoni Specialist Hospital Dutse in its bid to recommend a befitting teaching hospital for the university.
During the tour, the minister paid a courtesy visit to some stakeholders in the state including the Jigawa state Deputy Governor, Alhaji Umar Namadi and Emir of Dutse, Alhaji Muhammadu Nuhu Sanusi respectively.
The minister told the deputy governor that he was in the state with an open mind to select between the two tertiary health facilities.
He said the issue of university teaching hospital was non-negotiable in order to enable medical students acquire the prerequisite of becoming health practitioners.
Mr. Osagie said whatever decision the team would take would definitely be in the best interest of the university, students and the state.
Responding, Namadi said the state government would do everything possible to assist the university to get a befitting teaching hospital for its students.
On his part, Emir of Dutse, Alhaji Muhammadu Nuhu Sanusi charged the team to be fair and consider the students in their selection of either of the two tertiary health facilities as teaching hospital for the university.
“Even though the two tertiary health facilities are domiciled within my emirate, I will plead with you to put into consideration the students whom may be at the receiving end of your decision,” he said.
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