The rate of deaths in Imo State rises daily as
private hospitals in the state are now being
overstretched with patients seeking medical
attention. This sad development is a result of the
closure of state hospitals and the Federal Medical
Centre, FMC, Owerri which was shut down by the
Federal Government over protracted labour crisis
in the centre.
The Imo state government had closed down
State hospitals to carry out renovations ahead of a
proposed takeover by concessionaires. The
Federal Government in its part shut down
the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri over
a protracted industrial dispute between workers
and the Medical Director, Dr. (Mrs.) Angela
Uwakwem.
As a result of the twin action, the capacity of
some of most private hospitals are being
overstretched as medical staff find it more tasking
to attend to patients who were evacuated from the
shut down hospitals.
It was discovered that at least four patients die on
daily basis, hundreds of patients were seen
besieging the hospitals. Some said that they have
been waiting for several hours to see doctors.
“It has not been easy for us, we stay in waiting rooms
for so long before we get attention, we are
patronizing the private hospitals to seek cure for our
sicknesses as the only alternative because government
hospitals have not been working.”
“Many of the patients brought to these private
hospitals are those abandoned in the government
hospitals that could not be attended to because the
hospitals are not functional” said a doctor that was
interviewed on the situation of things. He
stated that most the patients were already dead
before they were brought to the hospitals. “Since
we are here to save lives, we will not discharge them
from the gate; we hear pleadings of their people”.

kodded:
imo people
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