Most Nigerian government hospitals are currently operating at less than 20% of their capacity, senior surgeon at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Dr. Pius Agwoye, has said. 

 

He said some of the factors responsible for the poor level of operation include material and physical factors like power and broken down equipment because of poor maintenance culture.

 

Speaking with Daily Trust Health Desk, Dr Agwoye said government hospitals do not have enough qualified manpower at critical departments or units.

 

 

“Rather there is greater number of clerical and admin staff than medical staff. The attitude of these staff members has also drastically affected full capacity delivery of federal government tertiary hospitals,” he said.

 

Agwoye maintained that at public hospitals, procedures and treatment on patients are often deferred because of the factors mentioned thereby leading to unnecessary delays and increased bed stay or waiting time.

 

He said emergencies are hardly ever handled at such public hospitals and called on the federal government to speedily privatise its hospitals for effective capacity delivery and efficiency.

 

By Daily Trust