By Habibu Harisu
The Federal Neuro Psychiatric Hospital, Sokoto has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for federal government’s COVID-19 interventions across healthcare systems in the country.
The Medical Director and Consultant Psychiatrist, Prof. Shehu Sale said in Sokoto on Wednesday that the federal government had funded major projects in its COVID-19 interventions scheme.
He also commended the Minister of State for Health, Adele Mamora for the support toward achieving the successes in the hospital.
Sale mentioned the completed projects to include construction and equipping of intensive care unit, molecular laboratory, isolation centre and procurement of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
According to him, the projects were already impacting positively on service delivery and protection of both staff and patients of the hospital.
“The projects would also deliver improved healthcare to the hard-to-reach communities in line with the federal government’s commitment to the provision of essential healthcare services.
”We really appreciate President Muhammadu Buhari for bolstering and funding healthcare delivery by these interventions meant to serve Nigerians especially those living in Northwest states and other neighbouring countries.
”The recently completed advanced molecular laboratory is designed to carry out basic and advanced diagnostic testing for communicable and non-communicable diseases.
”The Biosafety Level III (BSL III) Laboratory is capable of handling testing of infectious diseases of public health concerns such as various strains of COVID-19, Ebola virus as well as Lassa virus and early detection of these infections is of paramount importance to curb the spread of these potentially deleterious organisms.
“The advance molecular test laboratory is meant for COVID-19 test in the hospital as well as other viruses and high precision test, which before now the hospital have to source such service in sister federal hospital at a fee,” Sale said.
The Medical Director added that aside detection of infections, the laboratory is equipped with fully automated chemistry, immunology, haematology and microbiology equipment that would be used to carry out supportive testing required in the treatment of patients on isolation and those in critical care.
“So, with the advanced molecular laboratory, we can conduct instant COVID-19 and other test on our patients and get quick results to attend to their health needs,” Sale said.
He also explained that the newly constructed Intensive Care Unit (ICU) had been equipped with the state-of-the-art medical equipment to attend to the care of both Paediatric and Adult patients requiring intensive care services.
”The ICU is fitted with digital monitors and a central monitoring unit that allow for continuous monitoring of vital signs and provides warning system for immediate intervention when needed. Additionally, a dialysis machine is available to support the care of patients who develop kidney failure.
“Ultrasonography is also available at bedside service using mobile ultrasound machine. There is also a mobile digital X-ray machine stationed in the ICU for radiological investigation of COVID-19 infected patients who develop complications like respiratory(chest) infections or difficulties that will require an urgent x-ray of the chest.
“This development has put the hospital at par with other tertiary health institutions in the country in the management of COVID-19 infection”. Medical Director said.
An International Certified Addiction (ICA) Professional, Sale said the isolation centre also constructed newly, is meant for the isolation of patients with suspected and confirmed cases of highly transmissible infections like Coronavirus infection, Lassa fever, Ebola and others.
”You will agree with me that the need for an isolation centre is a necessity for every modern tertiary health institution. We are grateful to the Federal Government that soon we will have ours in the hospital,” he said.
Sale noted that the intervention had provided the hospital with large quantity of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), adding “We now have enough of PPE for staff to use daily.
”PPE’s provide protection to the frontline healthcare workers that man infectious diseases treatment centres. It is only with adequate supply of PPE that we can guarantee the safety of our staff and their protection against hazards. “This third item in the intervention.
”PPE provision, was a serious burden to the hospital before the Federal Government intervention, as daily the hospital spends scarce resource purchasing these items at exorbitant prices,” he explained.
Sale, also a Board Certified Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, further explained that the recent interventions had prevented brain drain in the hospital as well as daily complains of lack of registered medical staff in the hospital.
He stressed that hospital had diverse expertise with modern equipment providing efficient services at affordable rates when compared with other facilities.
”The routine services along with the present COVID-19 interventions will serve as a booster and will make the hospital a hub of mental health treatment and other services,” Sale said.
The Medical Director who is also a Master Trainer of United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), reiterated commitment to continue rendering efficient services to Nigerians and commended Ministers for Health for their support in ensuring increased hospitals performance.
Sale expressed his renewed commitment to ensuring that the Hospital reaches even greater heights.
He said federal government has awarded another contract for the construction of Regional Women and Children Drug Dependence Treatment Center in the hospital which will cater for diverse health needs of these vulnerable sub- population.
According to him, in order to ensure accountability and transparency, the hospital is currently digitalizing all it’s service centers and will soon operate a paperless transaction at all points within the hospital.
”This has already been implemented at medical records registration and payment of hospital fees stations. This step has greatly reduced patients waiting time and increased the internally generated revenue in the hospital.
”Also to address the challenges of irregular electricity supply to the hospital, alternative power supply using solar inverters have been installed at the administrative building, out-patient department,medical records department,Pharmacy,intensive care unit, isolation center,molecular laboratory and some of the hospital wards,” Sale said.
According to him, the effort has not only improved service delivery but has reduced tremendously, the expenses on the generators and purchase of diesel to power the hospital.
