Patients leave Kano teaching hospital as NARD’s strike takes toll

As the nationwide strike embarked upon by the Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) entered its second day, many patients at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) have deserted the hospital, Daily Trust can report.

Our reporter who visited the hospital around 12pm yesterday, observed that relations of the sick had evacuated the sick ones and headed to private hospitals.

Alhaj Aminu Bello who spoke to Daily Trust, said he could not stay in the hospital watching his younger brother dying on the hospital bed unattended. “We are now heading to any available private hospital that can handle my brother’s case. He is suffering from kidney disease and you know doctors in this hospital are good but since they have embarked on strike, I have no alternative than to go to private hospital to manage his situation.”

Bello said many patients had left the hospital in the early hours of yesterday, lamenting, “I am sure some of them are going straight to their respective homes because they cannot afford to go to private hospital.”

Another patient, Alhaji Ibrahim Mustapha said, “I was in the hospital to see a doctor, but unfortunately I was told that they are on strike.

Now I am going to a private hospital to be diagnosed, I am having serious stomach ache.

When contacted, the Deputy Director of Information Department of the hospital, Alhaji Aminu Inuwa said palliative measures had been taken by the hospital’s management to ensure that consultants attended to patients.

On his part, the Chairman of Association of Resident Doctors, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital branch, Dr Rufa’i Ahmad Tukur, said he was on his way to Abuja for a meeting with Minister of Health and that the outcome of the meeting would determine whether they would continue the strike or not.