WikkiTimes has conducted an investigation into the healthcare centers in Bauchi State, revealing that low-income patients often endure humiliation and abuse from health staff. These patients are frequently denied medical attention and subjected to rude treatment. Babaji Usman Babaji reports.
Malam Musa Liman, 66, arrived at General Hospital Bayara with hopes of getting a timely treatment for gangrene in his leg. His optimism started to fade when he was abandoned on his bed until the next day.
“I came around 2 pm on a Monday but they did not attend to me until the following day,” Liman said.
Beyond the staff’s nonchalance, the patient described the hospital’s poor facilities as traumatizing.
There are no functional bathrooms or toilets, so patients have to ease themselves in the bush nearby.
“I was looking for a place to take my bath yesterday but couldn’t find any. I fell down and injured myself while looking for the toilet because I could not walk properly,” he said.
Liman told WikkiTimes that the only staff member on duty was Baban Kande who was attending to many other patients.
“He is the only staff we know that comes here.”
Patients in the ward told WikkiTimes that family members such as Liman’s son, Abubakar, took on cleaning duties due to the absence of hospital cleaners.
Salihu Abdulhamid, another patient, agonized over a lack of personnel in the staff in government hospitals to manage key facilities.
“My family members help dispose of my faeces since there are no toilet facilities in the hospital.”
According to him, the toilets and bathrooms in the ward are locked up and inaccessible to patients.
“We don’t know why they remained locked and inaccessible to patients”.
Except for the constant supply of electricity and water, everything else is horrible, Abdulhamid said.
A health official in the hospital requesting anonymity for fear of recrimination, disclosed that there are only two toilets reserved for staff in the hospital. The patients have to find a way for themselves in the neigbourhood.
The official said toilets were locked up because of the shortage of cleaners that can keep them clean and usable.
“We don’t have cleaners that will take care of them,” he explained.
According to him, the health facility has extreme dearth of nurses and other professionals needed to run the hospital.
He wondered why patients with wounds are admitted to the hospital when there are no adequate nurses to treat wounds properly.
He also complained of the poor management of the hospital system.
“If you admit someone with a wound and place him in a room while the materials to be used are in the theatre room which is not always open, how do you expect us to find someone who will treat those persons with wounds?” he asked rhetorically.
He added that there were only two cleaners in the male ward and 2 others in the female ward, all maintaining only their beats of assignment.
“None of them would leave their assigned place to another,” he added.
Faults in Recruitment
The hospital staff also alleged that a faulty recruitment process that involves nepotism and favouritism put as a serious problem in the hospital administration.
He said hiring qualified individuals is essential for high-quality service delivery, but many staff were employed not because they qualified but because of some other consideration. “In some cases, there is a misplaced priority in the recruitment plan.
“They favoured those with privileged backgrounds and connections and brought them here. But have you seen anyone working there? If at least five people were hired who could attend to people with injuries and other similar tasks, things would be much easier.”
Challenges Everywhere
This neglect and poor infrastructure were not unique to General Hospital Bayara but were widespread in Bauchi state’s public hospitals and became worse in remote areas.
According to the senior health officer, the situation in Bauchi town is relatively better than that in the communities outside the capital city.
“Go to remote areas like Boto, Tafawa Balewa, and Bogoro, and see for yourself. It’s truly tragic,” he said, emphasizing the glaring failure of the government to address the longstanding health issues in the state.
Gereral Hospital Dass
Mohammadu Abdullahi, 81, a resident of Bazali in Dass LG, is one of the victims of poor service delivery in Bauchi Hospital.
He was neglected for hours at General Hospital Dass until his family cried for help.
The Octogenarian was eventually offered a bed, but he was later abandoned when the family could not immediately complete the payment of his medical bill.
His son, Jibrin, expressed distress as the hospital staff showed little compassion, causing relatives to take on medical tasks themselves.
WikkiTimes’ visit to Bayan Fada Maternity revealed a similar situation.
Zainab, a woman who had just delivered, was left bleeding excessively. Her family planned to transfer her to another hospital due to lack of attention in the facility but they were called back when the family was already in transit to another hospital.
A relative of the patient who identified herself as Hafsa accused the staff of prioritizing wealthier patients in treatment even when they come after the less privileged patients.
WikkiTimes’ reporter could not have access to the room as male visitors were restricted access to the maternity complex, but other relatives of patients were heard murmuring about the situation.
Community Leaders Settling Brawls in Hospitals
In Darazo, community leaders often intervene to resolve conflicts between health workers and patients due to frequent misunderstandings arising from multiple challenges in hospitals.
Musa Yakubu, the village head of Kurmi, recounted settling numerous disputes.
“There were a series of complaints from patients and their relatives, especially in the maternity section of the hospital,” he said.
Muhammadu Abdullahi from Kolori experienced humiliation from health workers during his wife’s emergency blood transfusion at General Hospital Misau. “Their conduct fell short of ethical standards, particularly in patient care,” he fumed.
Similarly, Malam Hussani Gabarin was mocked when he brought his pregnant wife to the same hospital.
“They (staff) also laughed and mocked her for being pregnant despite having a young child, I had to rebuke them, but they got back at me,” he said.
Musa Mohammed Sani, the Medical Records Officer at General Hospital Dass, acknowledged that staff harassment of patients occurs due to poor orientation among the staff.
He however said there is a disciplinary measure for professional misconduct.
“If any staff is confirmed defaulting, the hospital committee would take action against him or her before he would be taken to the management.
Responding to patients being denied services if not fully paid as discovered by WikkiTimes, he cited women in childbirth and victims of accidents as those getting special recognition.
“But with the assurance that all outstanding balances would be settled, there is no reason to deny anyone access to medication, especially in critical situations.
Sani also called on the patients to be tolerant and not be whiners on trivial issues.
Human Rights Watch says abuses against patients and individuals under medical supervision, including the failure to provide palliative care are tantamount to torture or CIDT (Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment).
“CIDT covers “treatment as deliberately causing severe suffering, mental or physical, which in the particular situation is unjustifiable,” it added.
We are Doing our Best
Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, Chairman, Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, said the agency was tackling unethical behaviours among staff.
He urged affected individuals to report issues for prompt action.
“One such case was reported a few months ago. As a result, we transferred the staff to Zaki, a remote area so that he could feel it,” Mohammed stated.
Despite these assurances, hospital patients continue to suffer in Bauchi hospitals.
Ministry Declines Comment
Bauchi State Health Commissioner (now sacked), Dr. Adamu Sambo did not comment on this report.
He ignored a letter requesting for an interview for six months.
His disregard for the press is a common attitude among public officials in the state.
Bauchi state remains one of the states that are yet to enforce the Freedom of Information Act, (FOI). The law that obligates government officials to share public information.
This investigation is produced with support from the Wole Soyinka Center for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) under the Collaborative Media Engagement for Development Inclusivity and Accountability Project (CMEDIA) and funded by MacArthur Foundation
