From Mokwugwo Solomon, Nnewi
Patients and concerned stakeholders, numbering over 500, yesterday, protested alleged poor handling of patients and lack of drugs at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Anambra State.
The protesters, who took to the streets of the industrial city, walked from the teaching hospital through NITEL Junction, down to Igwe Orizu Road, displaying placards of different inscriptions.
Leader of the protesters, Emmanuel Okoye, said: “The people you see here are patients, their relations, and residents of Anambra State, and Nnewi in particular. We’re here to protest poor services rendered by NAUTH to patients in the hospital.
“As patients, concerned Nnewi residents and interested parties, we are quite concerned and alarmed. We quietly started investigations to find out why NAUTH services are poor, including the physical infrastructure, despite huge funding from the Federal Government.
“Our findings revealed that there is absolutely lack of drugs in the hospital; patients are frequently asked to go outside the hospital to procure drugs. Surgical operations are being frequently postponed due to lack of materials in the theatre and this always leads to patients’ death.”
But in a swift reaction, Chief Medical Director (CMD), Joseph Ugboaja, described the allegations as frivolous, saying: “There are drugs in NAUTH, and our hospital is functioning well.
“Go to the hospital and see things for yourself.”