Despite generating millions of naira in monthly revenue for the Akwa Ibom State Government, General Hospitals across the state say they are operating with meager financial support from the government......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
This shocking revelation emerged during an unscheduled oversight visit conducted by the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly (AKHA) Health Committee on Tuesday.
Led by the Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Moses Essien, the delegation visited three key General Hospitals in Awa (Onna), Eket, and Iquita (Oron) to assess the state of healthcare services and the utilization of funds allocated to the facilities. To the lawmakers’ surprise, despite these hospitals generating significant income, they receive only a fraction in monthly subventions from the state government.
At General Hospital Awa in Onna, Dr. Francis Inyang, the Chief Medical Superintendent, revealed that while the hospital returns N2-3 million to the state government every month, it only receives N80,000 in subvention.
This shortfall , according to Dr Inyang, has forced the hospital to self-fund repairs and maintenance of critical equipment, creating a situation where the hospital management struggles to maintain essential services.
Similarly, at Immanuel General Hospital in Eket, Dr. Idongesit Itaketo, the Chief Medical Superintendent, disclosed that the hospital generates between N2.5-3.5 million monthly from surgical operations alone, with the pharmacy department bringing in an additional N6 million.
“Despite this, the hospital receives just N200,000 in monthly subvention””. He said
Dr. Itaketo further noted that the hospital is yet to receive the N10 million allocation promised by the state government, leaving them to rely on donations from individuals and groups to keep the hospital running.
The situation at General Hospital Iquita in Oron mirrored that of the other hospitals, with Dr. Sabastine Noah, the Chief Medical Superintendent, explaining that his hospital also receives only N200,000 per month. Despite an allocation of N10 million for a dental clinic, the hospital has been unable to access the funds, as the clinic is not yet operational. Dr. Noah identified erratic power supply and staff shortages as additional hurdles that continue to hamper the facility’s operations.
Hon. Moses Essien, while commending the hospital management teams for maintaining clean and functional facilities despite the funding challenges, expressed disappointment at the vast gap between the revenue these hospitals generate and the subventions they receive. He assured the hospital staff that the AKHA Health Committee would make it a priority to ensure that the funds allocated to them in the 2024 budget are promptly released.
“We cannot allow our hospitals to continue struggling with such paltry amounts while contributing significantly to the state’s revenue. The ARISE agenda of His Excellency, Governor Umo Eno, places health at the forefront, and we must ensure that these facilities are adequately funded to serve our people,” Essien stated.
Other lawmakers on the oversight visit, including Hon. Uduak-obong Ekpo-Ufot (Etinan), Hon. Dr. Itoro Etim (Uruan), and Hon. Prince-Aniefiok Attah (Nsit Atai), echoed similar concerns, questioning the discrepancy in funding and calling for urgent action to address the plight of the hospitals.