How snake bite put ABU hospital doctors, management on war path
Many patients at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Shika, Zaria, were shocked over news that one of the major medical facilities in Nigeria, had no anti-snake venom in its pharmacy. The revelation came to the fore when doctors of the hospital staged a protest over the issue. Daily Trust on Sunday reports
Dr. Zubairu Alhaji Zubairu of the surgery department is the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital doctor that was bitten by snake. It was that incident, among others, that made doctors at the hospital to stage a peaceful protest over what they called the deplorable condition of the hospital’s environment, which according to them led to the incursion of snakes and other reptiles into the facility.
Dr. Zubairu was on Call duty on the day of the incident. Oblivious of the lurking danger, the doctor was rushing to save the life of a patient, when he stepped on a snake on the staircase of the surgical ward of the hospital. The reptile immediately fought back and bit the doctor.
According to Dr. Waziri Aliyu, the president of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), ABUTH branch, Dr. Zubairu could not be treated for about 36 hours, as there was no anti-snake venom in the entire hospital. This development, among many others, Dr. Aliyu said, forced the doctors to demonstrate in order to pass their message to the relevant authorities.
“We are demonstrating because we want our voices to be heard. If a doctor of the hospital could be treated in that manner, what is the fate of other patients? I think the government and other relevant authorities must do something to save this hospital from total collapse,” Dr. Aliyu said.
He explained that the protest was imperative, as the management of the hospital “was not paying the desired attention to doctors’ welfare.”
“This poor environmental sanitation within the hospital and its environs was responsible for the incident. Dr. Zubairu almost lost his life as he suffered from envenomination due to the nonavailability of anti-snake venom for over 36 hours after the snake bite,” Dr. Aliyu said.
According to him, the deplorable state of facilities and equipment in ABUTH is hindering the operations of the hospital.
Dr. Aliyu said there are some basic activities that can be done even at a General Hospital, but are not available at ABUTH.
“Simple investigations such as X-ray, ultrasound and MRI have to be postponed due to faulty machines. This is a hospital that has a transfusion unit, which cannot produce blood components due to lack of cold centrifuge, hence, it cannot be differentiated from a General Hospital,” Dr. Aliyu said.
He identified other issues affecting the doctors to include low residency training, refusal to reinstate resident doctors that were sacked despite the agreement reached.
“Other issues are skipping of levels, victimisation of NARD following our involvement in a directed strike of June 2016, non provision of food during call duty. If the management fails to meet our demands, which include the payment of our emolument along with August salary, we will have no other option than to commence an indefinite strike,” Dr. Aliyu said.
When contacted, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the hospital, Professor Lawal Khalid, confirmed that there were snakes in the hospital. He however denied the allegation of poor sanitation in the hospital.
“We are not an environmentally poor hospital. On the ultimatum given by the doctors, yes, the management received a letter on the issue. I would like to say that members of NARD have been receiving their full salaries as at when due since Aug 2015. The only pending problem now is skipping and it has to do with money. We have met with the Speaker, House of Representatives over the issue.
“The committee of CMDs have also met and deliberated on the issue and it was clear that hospitals have no money, but the Speaker intervened. Immediately money is made available, we will pay, because we don’t joke with staff entitlements,” Professor Khalid said.
Some residents of Zaria and patients in the hospital interviewed by our correspondent advised the doctors to deploy other strategies other than strike to push home their demands.
The patients and residents also advised the leaders of NARD to always counsel their members on discipline and negligence of duty.
“If truth must be told, some of these resident doctors lack discipline. They often neglect their duties. Let me cite an example. About five or six years ago, my child had second degree burns. He was first admitted at the Accident and Emergency unit of the ABUTH before he was moved to the paediatric ward. The boy was recovering well to the admiration of the consultant. He recommended for blood transfusion, having discovered that the boy’s blood level was low.
“A resident doctor was assigned for the blood transfusion. This doctor just administered the transfusion and left. Not long, the boy started gasping and that was how he died, as even the arrival of the consultant couldn’t save my boy,” Malam Isa Danladi, a resident, said.
Dr. Aliyu added that lack of adequate manpower in the hospital is a major problem.
“It is possible that in the case of this incident you mentioned, the doctor went to another section of the hospital to attend to another patient. That is why we called on the authorities to appoint more hands. The last time people were employed in this hospital was in 2012. On the issue of discipline, yes, it is possible to have some elements that lack discipline but whenever we come across such elements among us, we call them to order, including sanctioning them,” Dr. Aliyu said.
As the doctors are threatening to embark on indefinite strike, residents and patients of the ABUTH have appealed to both parties to handle the dispute amicably, “because in some countries even in war times, doctors don’t go on strike,” Danladi said.