…denies claims that hospital lacks manpower, medical consumables, resuscitation equipment, patient transfer equipment, others

By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

The federal government has ordered a full-scale investigation into the viral online video incident at the Emergency Unit of the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, Abuja.

The video depicted the abandonment of some accident victims rushed to the hospital’s emergency section by some staff members on duty. One of the staff was heard attributing their action to non availability of medical consumables, including latex gloves, resuscitation equipment  as well as shortage of patient transfer equipment.

However,  the government refuted the claims, maintaining that its preliminary findings showed that the hospital’s emergency department had all that were reported to be lacking in the video.

The hospital, in its preliminary response to the development that has attracted public attention, said it has begun engagement with the staff on duty and stakeholders to “uncover the facts surrounding this incident.”

The Public Relations Officer of the hospital, Obadiah Gana,in a statement on Sunday, said the  Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako ,has directed a full investigation of the incident,adding that findings of the investigation will be made available to the public.

The statement read:”“We have been made aware of an online video that negatively depicts our hospital. In response, we have initiated a thorough investigation to uncover the facts surrounding this incident. Our preliminary findings indicate the following:

“The emergency department had an adequate supply of medical consumables, including latex gloves, contrary to the claims made in the video.

“Resuscitation equipment and medications were sufficient. There was no shortage of patient transfer equipment, including trolleys and wheelchairs.”

“The Hon. Minister of State for Health & Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako has directed a full investigation of the incident which is ongoing. Findings of the investigation will be made available to the public.

“The management is committed to providing a full report of our investigation once it is completed. The Federal Medical Centre, Abuja, prides itself on its open-door policy. We have multiple patient feedback channels available, including several phone numbers displayed throughout the hospital, QR codes, and email contacts.

“In addition to running a medical indigent fund to assist underprivileged patients with hospital bills, we have successfully treated numerous unconscious patients and safely returned them to their relatives with the help of our social workers.

“Our facility is a hub for specialized procedures such as open-heart surgery, laser surgery, kidney transplants, spine surgery, and other high-end treatments that are not commonly available in most public hospitals.

“We apologize for any distress or discomfort caused and want to assure you that we take feedback seriously. We value the trust placed in us and are committed to providing quality care with empathy and compassion. We appreciate the feedback and will work towards improving the quality of our services.”