BY LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU
ABUJA: The name conveys the impression of excellence and standardization. To someone from outside, it is the best clinic with state-of-the-art equipment which should also boast of qualified medical personnel judging from the fact that it is owned by the second arm of the federal government that appropriates monies for all the government expenditure on yearly basis.

But lo and behold, the National Assembly Clinic is not any better compared to the situation in most Nigerian Public Health Centres. In fact, to some people, it only passes for a first aid center and to others, an immunization center. What can be more disappointing than that?

An investigation into the state of the medical center revealed a grotesque picture of what a hospital expected to solve the medical needs of “Distinguished” Senators and “Honourble” members plus a host of flooding staff of the Assembly should simply not be.

First: the clinic does not have a building of its own. A thorough look at what formed a hospital for the Legislative Arm of the Federal government reveals a deliberate detachment of some offices at the basement on left flank of the Complex, just before the Senate new Building for purposes of  conversion and conferment of status of a hospital. Even though it is partitioned and made so compact to accommodate all the units of the clinic, it is still not enough let alone providing offices for the Heads of Unit.

For instance, the Office of the Head of Pharmaceutical Service is located in the Senate new Building, room 0.15, miles away from the “White House” where the clinic is itself located.

Similarly, the clinic does not admit patients at the National Assembly.  Admission is only done at Area 11, the extension of the clinic which Saturday Vanguard gathered operates in a rented apartment.

Then the Laboratory Centre of the Clinic is situated miles away entirely from the whole Assembly Complex to another wing called “annex”. This means that whatever tests recommended by the Doctors, one simply needs to taxi to the place. But unfortunately, there are no taxis. Therefore, walking on foot, meandering through the buildings, doing a lot of stairs climbing or lifting becomes the only option available to get to the Lab Section.

And then, one is told on arrival to the clinic that all the tests ticked for cannot not be done. The only one available is Malaria Parasite (MP). If one is lucky, then Genotype and Blood Group follow. Other tests such as H. Piloris, Hapititisis, and a few important ones are hardly conducted. Why? No kits. At least, for three weeks now, the kits have remained unavailable, Saturday Vanguard investigations revealed.

In that bewilderment, the patient becomes angry and to help pacify the patient, he or she will be advised to pay some money for the test to be conducted outside. For sure, it is not mandatory but strictly on suggestive terms.

But whether he or she is angry is always a question of seconds as the anger fizzles out when the patient realizes that he/she is not charged  for the services assuming they were rendered to him. This is because, no one pays a dime in the clinic. At least, that is the situation for now.

But could that be the reason why some prescribed drugs are hardly available? This is yet the outcome of another round of investigation carried out in the Pharmacy Department of the clinic. For sure, you can bet there will always be paracetamol. So also other routine drugs. But anything outside them takes the patient to the outside world where he will be advised to buy the drugs.

At this juncture, the patient looks up to be cocksure that he or she was at the National Assembly where beautiful edifice stares him in the face; where so much money is believed to be making the rounds; where the Senate President; his Deputy; the Speaker of House of Representatives and his Deputy seriously preach good health for all Nigerians in the course of their duties.

Another challenge is insufficient medical personnel in clinic. Information gathered showed that it is seriously understaffed making a few ones working round the clock. A Nurse who spoke on condition of anonymity couldn’t recall the stress she had undergone. Doctors are hardly enough. But even if they were, no equipment to work with.

It is either the ones available have broken down after months of acquisition and usage with myriad of outstanding promises of fixing or changing them or that the machines are not available. That is literary the case at the clinic.
When the reporter defied the distance and walked to meet with Dr. Alfa John, the Director, Pharmaceutical Services after several visits to the office of the Medical Director who hadn’t come to office at the time, mum was the word.

John who was at home with the paper ab initio suddenly realized he was a civil servant who would not say a word unless and until an authorization was gotten from the clerk of the National Assembly.
Pressed to even why drugs were in short supply, Dr. John wouldn’t say.

Now, you are tempted to ask: what happens in times of emergencies? Do Senators or Members seek medical attention at the Clinic? Of course, your guess is as good as another’s.

Believe me, the lawmakers in their numbers stay away from the clinic. Perhaps, the only period they would be expected to go there is usually seasons of immunization such as the present one in meningitis where adults between ages 20-29 partake. But even at that, Saturday Vanguard that kept vigil at the hospital for several hours between Wednesday and Thursday never saw anyone who wore the garb of a lawmaker come or leave the clinic. Of course, they have alternatives.

The same goes for real medical issues.

They prefer jetting out abroad for medical attention to fixing the dilapidated infrastructure. But for how long will that continue? How long will the public health facilities remain in comatose? When will drugs be enough to go round? When will there be sufficient medical personnel? The answers sure lie with the leadership of the country.