•How Nwifuru, Umahi restored normalcy to David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital, Ebonyi
From Uchenna Inya, Abakaliki
Normalcy has returned to David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital (DUFUTH) in Uburu, Ebonyi State following the intervention of Governor Francis Nwifuru and the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi.
Academic and other activities in the hospital were completely paralyzed for over one week when the host community and the hospital embarked on protest and counter protest over the state of affairs of the health institution.
It was the host community led by the four traditional rulers of Uburu that engineered the protest against the management of the hospital, alleging gross mismanagement, systemic abuse, leadership failures and blatant disregard to the host community against the management.
The protesters demanded immediate removal of the Chief Medical Director of the health institution, Professor Agwu Uzoma. The community further alleged that the constant rift between the CMD and Vice Chancellor of David Umahi Federal University of Sciences, Professor Jesse Uneke, within the hospital premises, has adversely affected the hospital.
The workers of the hospital countered the protest and passed vote of confidence on the CMD. The hospital staff absolved the CMD of all wrongdoings leveled against her by the host community, a dramatic turn of events that marked a turning point in the crisis.
The protest and counter protest caused tension in the hospital and crumbled every activity while the CMD avoided the health institution apparently to avoid attack. She reportedly had a closed-door meeting with Governor Francis Nwifuru in his office at Abakaliki, the state capital, at the peak of the protest.
After the meeting, the governor reportedly pleaded that the CMD be allowed to complete her tenure and contacted the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to also intervene in the crisis.
There was speculation in some quarters that the minister was behind the protest against the hospital because of the way the protest was going and the caliber of people in the community involved in it. But Umahi denied any hand in it.
Addressing the community, he emphasized that he did not direct anyone to protest against the hospital. “I didn’t direct for any protest. The President -General asked me in Abakaliki, ‘Shall we do protest?’ and I said no, don’t…”he stated.
He urged community members to cease any form of petition writing going forward, warning that this could play into the hands of those who wish to see the hospital fail.
He advocated allowing the hospital CMD, Professor Uzoma Agwu to serve out her tenure, emphasizing the importance of supporting the institution and allowing posterity to judge the leadership.
He stated: “Let’s hand over the hospital to her, she is our daughter. And I’m sure you all heard me very well.
“If we have our children that are in that hospital that are writing petition, it is against the hospital. Do not write petition against anybody. You will be playing into the hands of our enemies. You will be playing into the hands of those who don’t want the hospital to thrive.”
The minister highlighted the hospital’s achievements particularly in providing critical care to cancer patients from across the region, not just Ohaozara. He stressed that the hospital’s success is crucial and appealed for prayers to support its continued growth.
Umahi also announced that Governor Nwifuru has agreed to intervene in the matter, and bring resolution to all outstanding issues.
“The governor graciously has agreed to step in. So, let’s allow the governor to find out what is happening and get the problem solved,” said.
The Minister also pledged to collaborate with the head of SMEDAN to empower local business owners in the community and promised scholarships for academic pursuits, to be rolled out in phases. He urged Uburu community to sustain the tempo of progress and ensure that a new generation of influential personalities emerges, both in politics and business to carry the torch to be left behind by the older generation.
Immediately after addressing the people of the area, the community ordered its residents to end the protest and petition against the management of hospital.
The community, in a statement signed by its President -General, Chief Odi Nicholas Enyi on behalf of its traditional leadership, said: “The Uburu Traditional Leadership and esteemed stakeholders of Uburu, following careful consideration of the recent appeals made by Engr. David Umahi, Minister of Works and founder of David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital (DUFUTH), and recognizing the intervention of Governor Francis Nwifuru, hereby issue the following statement:
“We acknowledge and appreciate the concerns raised regarding the ongoing situation at DUFUTH and the importance of fostering a harmonious environment for the hospital’s continued growth and success.
“We understand the necessity for peace and collaboration to effectively address any grievances and ensure the optimal functioning of this vital institution, which serves not only our community but the wider region.
“In alignment with the appeals made by Engr. David Umahi, we urge all members of Uburu community, and indeed all stakeholders, to cease any form of protest or petition writing against the current leadership of DUFUTH, led by the CMD, Professor Uzoma Agwu.”
Meanwhile, the hospital’s CMD resumed duty last Wednesday and was greeted with a heroic welcome by the staff, who converged on the entrance of the main hospital complex, chanting solidarity songs.
In her address, Prof. Agwu expressed her gratitude to all staff, President Bola Tinubu, Nwifuru, the DUFUTH Board chairman for their invaluable support and intervention and Umahi for conceiving an edifice like DUFUTH. She promised that the institution was poised to make President Tinubu proud, recognizing that health falls within his renewed hope agenda.
Prof. Agwu also expressed the conviction that DUFUTH would become the number one healthcare facility in the country. She noted that despite accusations of absenteeism, the staff’s overwhelming presence had demonstrated their commitment and attendance to their work.
To commemorate the hospital’s shared journey, particularly the events of the past weeks, Agwu proposed establishing a pioneer record of photo collection featuring staff faces and names. She urged the staff to continue praying for her, for the grace to keep leading with transparency and accountability.
With normalcy restored, DUFUTH is poised to continue providing quality healthcare services to all categories of clients.
Meanwhile, concerned medical health practitioners from the Old Ohaozara block have called on the federal government to intervene in the crisis rocking the hospital. The medics under the Old Ohaozara Medical and Dental Consultants Forum made the call in a statement.
The statement was signed by the Forum’s president, Dr Kenneth Okoro and secretary, Dr Mcsteve Okeke. They noted with extreme dismay the rumblings in the hospital.
According to them, the rumblings should not be happening in the hospital which they claimed is the most beautiful and best equipped public hospital in Nigeria. They alleged that the major cause of the bickering is the unhealthy relationship and rivalry between the Vice Chancellor of David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUHS ) Uburu , Prof. Jesse Uneke and the Chief Medical Director of DUFUTH , Prof. Agwu.
The doctors said their disagreement was as a result of discordant understanding of which of the two federal institutions should take charge of clinical service departments, centres/units.
“We are also informed that the vice – chancellor wishes to be allowed to play a supervisory role over the teaching hospital, an aberration of the highest order. Worldwide, clinical service departments / centres / units are managed by teaching hospitals. Cancer, renal and eye centres are under clinical services of any hospital. DUFUTH should not be an exception,” they stated.
The Forum also noted that in Nigeria, the university is supervised by the Ministry of Education while the teaching hospital is supervised by the Ministry of Health.
“We are surprise that the healthy collaborative relationship for medical education which exists in all other institutions in Nigeria is lacking between DUFUHS and DUFUTH .
“The two agencies / institutions of government are autonomous with the university led by a governing council and the teaching hospital led by a board of management. None should play a supervisory role over the other; their service mandates are separate but complementary,” they said.
They regretted that the climax of the unhealthy scenario in DUFUTH is the recent orchestrated protest by natives in the hospital, leading to the relocation of the venue for interview of prospective staff to Abakaliki with all the undesired implications.
The Forum regretted that as a result of the crisis, their colleagues working in DUFUTH have become demoralized and are now considering other options for their services.
“We observe that at a period when Nigeria’s health sector has witnessed unprecedented exodus of healthcare professionals, it is counterproductive to demoralize the patriotic ones who chose to serve their fatherland.
“As indigenes of Old Ohaozara Division and professional stakeholders in DUFUTH, we are worried by the potential negative impact of the unease at the hospital on service delivery, medical education and research against the background of the lofty vision of its establishment to reverse medical tourism to the benefit of Nigeria.
“The peculiarities of DUFUTH as a potential centre of excellence with state of the art facilities located almost equidistant between two other prominent Teaching Hospitals requires the collective support of the host community, the government and all stakeholders to actualize the vision”, they said.
They commended Umahi and Nwifuru for wading into the matter. They however called for the immediate intervention of the supervising federal ministries of education and health to clearly delineate the service mandates of the two federal institutions and facilitate a memorandum of understanding between the university and the teaching hospital.
They also called for the donation of shuttle buses to ply designated routes to convey only patients at free or heavily subsidized fares to and from DUFUTH, given the paucity of public transport services in the area. This, they said, will remarkably improve patronage of the hospital in view of the location.
The Forum equally called on DUFUTH management to intensify the ongoing medical outreaches for care of patients and sensitization of the public on available services in the hospital. The Forum also charged the management to also ensure that staff performs their duties efficiently and effectively in a conducive working environment.
The medical practictioners urged stakeholders to embrace the counsel of their leaders to for the growth and excellent development of the hospital in a peaceful conducive environment.
“We recognize the importance of allowing the CMD to fulfill her tenure and allow for the judgment of her leadership to be based on the hospital’s progress and achievements.
“We reiterate our commitment to supporting the growth and development of DUFUTH, so that the hospital can continue to providing critical healthcare, particularly to cancer patients across the region. We acknowledge the significant contributions the hospital can make and recognize the importance of an atmosphere of peace.”