Adeyoyin Olatayo’s coming to Lagos again in January 2014 after many
years of visiting the city was neither for funfair nor tourism. Since
1967 when she clocked 15, she had been suffering from a severe pain
in her right hip, causing her great pain anytime she used the leg to
walk. Up till today, she said she could not explain what could have
caused the pain.
Since then, she had held many prayer vigils and taken uncountable
doses of drugs to suppress the pain. But it wouldn’t go. Instead, it got
worse by the day until eventually about two years ago, the two legs
finally failed to carry her anywhere again; and so she started using
crutches.
But she still hoped she would walk with her legs someday. With this
hope constantly burning in her, she learnt that she could be treated at
the National Orthopaedic Hospital in Igbobi, Lagos, one of the three
national orthopaedic hospitals in the country. And for the first time in
over 40 years of living with the hip pain, she heaved a sigh of relief –
that her ‘miracle’ might truly be in sight.
After many medical tests at the hospital, it was discovered that her
femur (the thigh bone located in the leg) had degenerated and worn
out, thereby making her right leg to become weak and heavy. But she
was still happy that at least, there was a solution in sight.
The solution would be a total hip replacement in the leg – a surgery
that could only be performed at a specialist hospital.
However, that feeling of happiness was almost marred when, five
months after she had gone to the hospital for registration and medical
tests, she was not called up for the surgery – the primary reason being
that the hospital wards were filled up, and so some patients had to
leave before others could be admitted.
Eventually she was operated on in May 2014, after some months of
waiting. Nonetheless, the total cost of the surgery almost made her to
give up – but for the financial support she received from her family
and friends, she finally had the surgery, and made it.
But one thing would not stop to baffle her, before and even after the
surgery had taken place. When she thought the payment of N787,200
stated by the hospital as the cost of the surgery would cover almost
every medical expense, she was nonplussed when she was asked to pay
N35,000 by one of the two doctors who handled her case for the rent
of an equipment called the surgical drilling machine, one of the tools
that would be used to operate on her in the theatre.
An orthopaedist, Adewale Oyediran, said the surgical drill is a medical
instrument that looks exactly like a drill, fitted with a rotating cutting
tool, and used in making holes in the bones.
Oyediran said the tool is used in performing many orthopaedic
surgeries, and is found in orthopaedic hospitals only.
He also explained that it is used only on patients whose bone had been
worn out or degenerated from its joint and needs to be fitted back
into it.
“It is a tool you don’t find in any other hospital. It is special and is
used only in orthopaedic surgeries. It is a bit expensive, with one
costing about N1m or more, depending on the type, he said.”
Even at that, Olatayo said she had never heard of cases where patients
were asked to pay to any doctor to rent any equipment that would be
used in the course of their treatment in any hospital – except probably
in private hospitals.
To confirm her thoughts that something was wrong somewhere, she
was not issued any receipt for the payment made to the doctor in
charge of the operation. Meanwhile, for every other service rendered
to her by the hospital, receipts were issued.
She said, “It was strange to me when the doctor told me I would pay
to rent one drill machine prior to the commencement of the operation
to be carried out on my leg. I had never heard of this anywhere before
that patients rent equipment to be used on them. The hospital should
have been the provider, I guess.”
To tell her this, she said the doctor had called her and her daughter
aside where no other hospital official could have heard their
conversation.
“But it was never stated in the cost statement issued to me when I paid
for the surgery, and I do not see it as normal that the equipment
would have to be paid for separately after paying a huge amount of
money for the operation already,” she added.
Olatayo also added that the doctor told her that she had a choice of
either buying the equipment brand new or renting it. Either way, the
most important thing is she needed it for a successful surgery on her
hip.
If she were to buy the surgical drill, the cost, according to the said
doctor, was over N1m. But since it would be unwise to spend such an
amount of money on one equipment that would be used only once,
she said the doctor advised her to rent it – at a cost of N35,000
though......read more from the lin k provided
http://www.punchng.com/feature/amazing-patients-pay-doctors-to-use-surgical-equipment-at-igbobi-hospital/

then tomorrow someone will get up and tell me that people run to India because our doctors are bad.
your government can't equip its hospitals.
a drilling machine! its a pity.

phantom: then tomorrow someone will get up and tell me that people run to India because our doctors are bad.
your government can't equip its hospitals.
a drilling machine! its a pity.

Obviously u don't understand the post. Kindly read again

oh I have seen worse......there are cases in Ubth were consultants refuse to attend to patients except they register in their private clinics, this is what medicine has turned to in Nigeria. unlike education, poor funding is not the biggest problem in the health sector........corruption is the problem.

tosinjoe:
Obviously u don't understand the post. Kindly read again

o please! you want to go towards the angle of fraud. what do you expect? the problem is that the hospital does not have a single drilling machine. that is what has given room to the whole 'renting one' rubbish.
someone is capitalising on the inefficiency of your government (though the person is not being straight forward about it) to make quick cash.simple!

theplanmaker: oh I have seen worse......there are cases in Ubth were consultants refuse to attend to patients except they register in their private clinics, this is what medicine has turned to in Nigeria. unlike education, poor funding is not the biggest problem in the health sector........corruption is the problem.

Poor funding is what has resulted into corrupt practices.

How can an orthopedic hospital not have a drill?

How do you expect the Docs to do their jobs?

Docs don't need to go on strike in Nigeria for people to die.

People have been dying and Docs have to bear with the guilt of knowing that those people could have been saved since 1960.

And the FG as well as all these opportunists capitalize on the ignorance of Nigerians.

ziga:

Poor funding is what has resulted into corrupt practices.

How can an orthopedic hospital not have a drill?

How do you expect the Docs to do their jobs?

Docs don't need to go on strike in Nigeria for people to die.

People have been dying and Docs have to bear with the guilt of knowing that those people could have been saved since 1960.

And the FG as well as all these opportunists capitalize on the ignorance of Nigerians.

Do you sincerely think that the hospital cannot afford a drill that costs 1million naira without the government?

theplanmaker: oh I have seen worse......there are cases in Ubth were consultants refuse to attend to patients except they register in their private clinics, this is what medicine has turned to in Nigeria. unlike education, poor funding is not the biggest problem in the health sector........corruption is the problem.

this is not true! stop peddling this rubbish.it is rubbish.

theplanmaker:




Do you sincerely think that the hospital cannot afford a drill that costs 1million naira without the government?

You can apply that same question to so many organizations run by the FG.

Who runs the hospitals?

Are the Docs supposed to buy drills?

There are hospitals where I've read of, that patients are the ones that buy their own gloves.

I have heard of maternity homes were patients have to bring a 25 liter can of water.

I have worked in hospitals where Docs carry around their own gloves to care for patients.

People die from the simplest things.

Isn't that an indication that there is a big problem?

Administrators will tell you they can't afford to do these things because the allocations they get from the FG is to pay cachectic wages.

people....its a great pity wht government have turned our health care facilities into...theyare all about politics and money making

For rubber bullet wound,running stomach,head ache,hang ovet...they jet out to UK,Europe,Saudi Arabia, etc for the best money can afford...at tax payers expenses.

Citizens deserves the best if not the very best from those in charge of running the affairs of the nation...nothing short of that.From Europe to Asia..their health care system and service delivery is worth bragging about...not structures and furnitures...Nigerians open your eyes and stop been blinded by tribalism and religious bigotry.

We deserve a true radical change.

theplanmaker:




Do you sincerely think that the hospital cannot afford a drill that costs 1million naira without the government?

do you know what a defibrillator is? Google it.
can you imagine no government hospital in this country has a defibrillator except maybe national hospital.
a very important machine.
many government hospitals do not have something as basic as an ultrasound machine. Nigerian doctors make the best of a very sad situation honestly.
your leaders fly out BECAUSE they know they have not done the right thing.they have not equipped the hospital s or trained their health personnel.
there is an area of radiology called interventional radiology.with interventional radiology ,many cases that would have ordinarily needed surgery are handled.these are less invasive procedures.we have only two people in this country you can call interventional radiologists. gambari and ahidjo, both of them in the north.
what stops our govt from sending out more people for training in different aspects of medicine? if they can't afford it,then import these highly skilled personnel from other countries especially India to come in and train our people.
our government is useless.

theplanmaker: oh I have seen worse......there are cases in Ubth were consultants refuse to attend to patients except they register in their private clinics, this is what medicine has turned to in Nigeria. unlike education, poor funding is not the biggest problem in the health sector........corruption is the problem.

Proof or sauce or whatever

The federal government of Nigeria has failed its people and nothing is being done about it.. Health care could be comparable to what obtains in saner climes with the input of government but thinking about it we never even had no govt. No electricity, we got generators. Bad roads, we get bigger cars. Truth is the output of doctors would be way better if basic machineries were in place but then. It isn't just the hospitals. Its in all sector.. The only functioning ministry infact is the ministry of propaganda and the only thing that is constantly being improved on is corruption.. Smh

drered: The federal government of Nigeria has failed its people and nothing is being done about it.. Health care could be comparable to what obtains in saner climes with the input of government but thinking about it we never even had no govt. No electricity, we got generators. Bad roads, we get bigger cars. Truth is the output of doctors would be way better if basic machineries were in place but then. It isn't just the hospitals. Its in all sector.. The only functioning ministry infact is the ministry of propaganda and the only thing that is constantly being improved on is corruption.. Smh

Seconded.

Poor funding shey? What have we done with the little funding we have so far? I guess our Dr CMD's who are the world best administrators were busy enriching their pockets with the money meant for the buying of these equipment. I am sure our health sector gets more funding than those of Ghana and other poorer African countries whose health care system are better than ours. Yet, you want to lie to our faces that Drs should continue heading ba? Diaris God ooo

ziga:

Poor funding is what has resulted into corrupt practices.

How can an orthopedic hospital not have a drill?

How do you expect the Docs to do their jobs?

Docs don't need to go on strike in Nigeria for people to die.

People have been dying and Docs have to bear with the guilt of knowing that those people could have been saved since 1960.

And the FG as well as all these opportunists capitalize on the ignorance of Nigerians.

prettyprettywow: Poor funding shey? What have we done with the little funding we have so far? I guess our Dr CMD's who are the world best administrators were busy enriching their pockets with the money meant for the buying of these equipment....Yet, you want to lie to our faces that Drs should continue heading ba? Diaris God ooo

so if the hoe is given to health-allied workers,to which side will they weed the farm?
#nohardfeeling

prettyprettywow: Poor funding shey? What have we done with the little funding we have so far? I guess our Dr CMD's who are the world best administrators were busy enriching their pockets with the money meant for the buying of these equipment. I am sure our health sector gets more funding than those of Ghana and other poorer African countries whose health care system are better than ours. Yet, you want to lie to our faces that Drs should continue heading ba? Diaris God ooo

So, the solution is to make you the CMD

Regardless of your qualifications?

Typical Nigerian mentality.

From your analysis, all CMDs of all hospitals over the years have been chopping money? In your eyes, the solution is to make a nurse CMD?

How much funds do hospitals receive? Do you know?

It is really difficult to reason with some Nigerians.

Let health administrators manage our hospitals. Let's see if there will be any change. Then, we will know where the problem is coming from, since the past administrators have failed Nigerians. That's my take. You don;t have to agree with me. shikena

ziga:

So, the solution is to make you the CMD

Regardless of your qualifications?

Typical Nigerian mentality.

From your analysis, all CMDs of all hospitals over the years have been chopping money? In your eyes, the solution is to make a nurse CMD?

How much funds do hospitals receive? Do you know?

It is really difficult to reason with some Nigerians.

prettyprettywow: Let health administrators manage our hospitals. Let's see if there will be any change. Then, we will know where the problem is coming from, since the past administrators have failed Nigerians. That's my take. You don;t have to agree with me. shikena

That's fine. Developed countries are moving away from that model, but just to justify your spite you can advocate for whatever suites you.

I'm fine with it as long as adequately qualified people who will make a positive change are put in that position. As long as we all man our positions, and anybody who doesn't perform his duty is given the boot.

But note that the CMD is a Doctor position. Its called Chief medical director.

funny, how can patients be paying for equipments in a federal hospital?
equipments bought with tax payer's
money..
only in Naija

Reserved!

cause of strike

I dont see why people also joke with the health sector, which is one of the very important sector that should not be overlooked.

Ok

ziga:

That's fine. Developed countries are moving away from that model, but just to justify your spite you can advocate for whatever suites you.

I'm fine with it as long as adequately qualified people who will make a positive change are put in that position. As long as we all man our positions, and anybody who doesn't perform his duty is given the boot.

But note that the CMD is a Doctor position. Its called Chief medical director.

@ the bolded, then I it's time we change the name to CEO. Imagine CMD?. At least we agree on one thing, that Nigerian Drs have destroyed our health sector with their administration. I think it's time to make the needed change, let's see how far we will go

prettyprettywow: @ the bolded, then I it's time we change the name to CEO. Imagine CMD?. At least we agree on one thing, that Nigerian Drs have destroyed our health sector with their administration. I think it's time to make the needed change, let's see how far we will go

I'm sorry sister. We don't agree on anything.

You are just venting your frustration at the fact that Doctors head medical institutions.

I wonder why that is even an issue.

You almost seem to have a seizure whenever I say that. But it is a fact.

If you are outside Nigeria, and you are truthfully a health worker, I wonder how your organization runs.

But please read before you start to scream NMA vs JOHESU.

And also calm your nerves before you blow a fuse.

Some things can't be changed by you or I. It is how it is.

Interesting

This johesu pepo sef no dey tire.

Do you now believe that Nigeria is in serious trouble?

but things are already changing, that is why we are having this strike by Drs. They want to maintain the status quo. I don't have to be frustrated because I am not even in Nigeria, So neither the strike nor the policies is directly affecting me. But It pains me when I know we can do better than we are already doing, haven seen how things are being done in sane countries. I just want to see the needed change in my dear country Nigeria. Advocating for what I believe in should't be sin. And yes, we agree that the best man should head our health institutions

ziga:

I'm sorry sister. We don't agree on anything.

You are just venting your frustration at the fact that Doctors head medical institutions.

I wonder why that is even an issue.

You almost seem to have a seizure whenever I say that. But it is a fact.

If you are outside Nigeria, and you are truthfully a health worker, I wonder how your organization runs.

But please read before you start to scream NMA vs JOHESU.

And also calm your nerves before you blow a fuse.

Some things can't be changed by you or I. It is how it is.

Hospital administration. And most of the time the appointments are political. Someone who will give contracts to govt officials who will then look the other way at lapses.

.