Sule orders probe as Nasarawa hospital staff reportedly sell donated items

Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has called for an immediate investigation into the reported case of missing mattresses and fans at the Umaisha General Hospital, Toto Local Government Area of the state.

In a viral video earlier this week, the lawmaker representing the Umaisha/Ugya constituency, Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Sa’ad Abdullahi, lamented the inability of hospital staff to account for the medical items he bought and donated to the hospital.

The lawmaker, a member of the All Progressives Congress, visited the hospital to assess the condition of the facility and ascertain the use of the items donated to support its operations.

The items include 50 orthopaedic mattresses, 50 ceiling fans, and 40 standing fans, which were donated to the Umaisha General Hospital, Toto Local Government Area of the state.

However, on Wednesday, during the inauguration of the eight new Commissioners, Special Advisers, Permanent Secretaries and board members at the Aliyu Akwe -Doma Banquet Hall, Government House, Lafia, the state capital, the governor recalled what had transpired during the lawmaker’s visit to the hospital.

He lamented that while the lawmaker was concerned about the state of health of his constituents, it was unfortunate that some people don’t “mean well” for the state.

Sule disclosed that he had requested a report on the incident to be submitted before the weekend.

The governor said, “A very honourable member from Umaisha/ Ugya recently bought a lot of mattresses and all kinds of fans, standing fans, ceiling fans, and the rest of that because he was concerned about what his local primary healthcare was undergoing.”

“Few days back, he returned there and discovered that the officials of the hospital had actually sold those items. This is a terrible thing that will happen if you have people who do not mean well for Nasarawa State. I am waiting for the honourable commissioner, and I expect that report by the end of this week.”

As seen in the video. After an earlier conversation with an unnamed male hospital staff member, the lawmaker recalled his discussion with a doctor whose face wasn’t revealed in the video.

“Doctor, (do) you remember the last time I spoke with you about those orthopaedic mattresses, (do) you remember what you told me?” he asked.

On both occasions, the doctor replied, ‘Yes”

The lawmaker then turned away from the doctor and faced the staff member who had shown him one of the supposed mattresses earlier.

He queried, “Do you know me? Do you realise I work under the state government? Please, for Allah’s sake, don’t let me be very upset with you.”

After the man’s affirmation that he knows him, Abdullahi then asked further, pointing to one of the mattresses, “Why are you lying to me? How can you tell me this is the mattress I bought? Can I show you the mattresses I bought?” he asked, raising his mobile phone.

The lawmaker then asked for the whereabouts of the items he bought.

“I bought them for my people. Where are the ceiling fans? I bought more than 50 ceiling fans, more than 40 standing fans. Where are they? Look at the condition of my people. You’re telling me you’ve taken the mattresses round the wards; take me to the wards. Where are they? Let me see them.”

He recalled that he had had a prior discussion with the doctor, who told him the mattresses were still in the store, after which he urged the doctor to return the mattresses.

He said, “It is my money that I used to buy them for my people. Why will they be suffering? Look at the condition of the people here,” as the video showed one woman sitting beside another another laying on a bed.

The hospital staff member later revealed that about seven of the 50 mattresses had been given temporarily to discharge patients, with an arrangement for them to be returned.