It is a right of patients to have emergency care, CMD tells doctors

The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) Bauchi Dr Muhammed Alkali has tasked doctors at the emergency unit of the hospital to always attend to patients seeking emergency care, saying providing emergency care to patients is their inalienable rights in the new National Health Act.

Alkali who stated this yesterday day during end of the year award ceremony to outstanding staff and departments organized by the Clinical Activities Coordinating Committe (CACC) of the hospital said the National Health Act recently signed by President Muhammadu Buhari into law stipulated that it is the responsibility of the health institutions and governments to fund emergency health care services.

Alkali said that even if there is no adequate space at the emergency unit, the doctors should make sure that there is no life threatening situation as at that time, “If there is life threatening situation, it must be addressed and then give appropriate referral elsewhere.”

“It is a right of patients to have emergency care. If you can’t render services for whatever reasons, you must document it. If you don’t have space, there is nothing you can do. But you have to make sure that there is no life threatening situation as at that time.

He however reveals that plan is under way to upgrade the trauma centre so that it can attend to up to 40 patients at the same time. Other projects to be carried out by the hospital are upgrading of the psychiatric unit and establishment of infectious diseases unit among others.

Speaking earlier, Secretary of the Clinical Activities Coordinating Committee (CACC) Abdulrazak Toyin, said that the annual awards was aimed attacked boosting staff morale and enhancing productivity in the hospital, adding that the awards and prizes were presented to beneficiaries for punctuality, hard work and dedication to duty.