Patients lament as Shortage of bed space hits Kaduna Hospital

Shortage of bed space has hit Yusuf Dantsoho General Hospital, Tudun Wada, Kaduna, making patients to be turned away.

The situation was exacerbated by the overwhelming influx of patients across the communities to the hospital for medical attention.

Many relatives who brought their sick loved ones struggled to secure bed space, with some forced to seek treatment elsewhere.

Daily Trust observed that both male and female patient wards were fully occupied, and health workers, mainly nurses, were tirelessly attending to admitted patients.

• Despite court ruling, Sanusi, Bayero continue rivalry, lead Friday prayers
• Nigerians among the most insecure people on earth – Obi

“The personnel were overwhelmed with the number of patients trooping to the hospital for medical assistance,” a local resident who simply identified himself as Shehu, said.

One Kaduna resident, who brought her sick sister to the hospital, expressed frustration: “Could you imagine that there was no bed space to admit her? Just look at her condition, yet the staff are telling us to move to another hospital because there is no bed space in the ward.”

Another resident, Muhammad Shehu, echoed similar feeling after taking his sick father to the hospital: “Imagine we have been moving with my Dad on a wheelchair for almost an hour looking for a way to admit him after the doctor had already checked and admitted him.”

“We were even ready to pay for an amenity, but that too was not available yet the state government is wasting money on projects that are not relevant to the well-being of the masses,” he added.

Others echoed their concerns, urging the state government to construct more wards to alleviate the bed shortages in public hospitals across the state, particularly Dan Tsohon Hospital Tudun Wada.

Some hospital staff, who chose to remain anonymous, expressed their distress at turning away patients due to lack of bed space.

Contacted the State Commissioner , Ministry of Health Ummah K Ahmed, said the government is doing its best to address the situation.

According to her, Yusuf Dantsoho Hospital was over populated due to its cosmopolitan location.

She also explained that another factor responsible for the shortage was increase in diseases due to heat and raining season.

The commissioner added that presently the six general hospitals undergoing renovation in the state are only offering skeleton services which has contributed to the pressure on Dantsoho Hospital.

“Again Yusuf Dantsoho General Hospital being one of the oldest there were high demands for services there. When you go into the hospital there is an ongoing building construction. It remains installation of equipment before it will be handed over to us.

“All these are aimed at improving the condition at the hospital. We are hoping that Yusuf Dantsoho will be among the second phase of the hospital to be renovated even though there other partners of ours that want to renovate some parts of the hospital too. This will also help improve services at the hospital.

“We are doing our best to address the situation. I ordered the transfer of two additional Doctors and nurses to Yusuf Dantsoho Hospital on Thursday to increase their man power.

“The cosmopolitan location of the hospital contributed to the situation at the hospital looking at the population in Tudun Wada, Unguwar Sanusi and other neighbouring communities that is expected. We are hoping that in the next few weeks those hospitals under renovation will be completed and the second phase will be selected,” she said.