CSOs Decry Manpower Shortage in Katsina Hospitals

Francis Sardauna in Katsina

The Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Katsina State has decried what it termed alarming manpower shortage and lack of functional life-saving equipment at primary and secondary healthcare facilities in the state.

The CSOs said medical doctors, nurses, consultants and technologists had abandoned hospitals in the state due to poor remuneration and other impediments in search of greener pastures elsewhere.

Addressing journalists on the mid-term of Governor Dikko Umaru Radda’s administration last Tuesday night, the state Chairman of the coalition, AbdurRahman Abdullahi, said the brain drain has affected healthcare service delivery in the state.

He said: “Despite the achievements recorded in the health sector so far, there are some teething challenges that we believe could be obstacles to attaining the overall objectives of this administration in the sector.

“Among such is an alarming human resource gap at the primary and secondary healthcare levels in the state. Two key facilities-Turai Yar’Adua Maternity and Children Hospital and General Amadi Rimi Specialist Hospital-are severely affected by the brain-drain.

“Many qualified, high ranking and hard to find health professionals, including consultants, nurses and technologists have exited the system over time due to poor welfare conditions, wrong posting, retirements or better opportunities elsewhere.”

Abdullahi reiterated that despite the manpower shortage and the overburden on the remaining few health workers in the state, there was no commensurate recruitment by the Radda-led government to bridge the vacuum.

He said Turai Yar’Adua Maternity and Children Hospital and General Amadi Rimi Specialist Hospital (GARSH) are severely affected by the brain-drain, adding that inadequate funding has also crippled the hospitals’ equipment and other essential services.

At GARSH, he said, essential diagnostic equipment, including Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computed Tomography (CT) scan machines are non-functional and the government has not provided funds for the hospital to repair or replace them.

“Beyond GARSH and Turai Yar’Adua Hospitals, many general and primary healthcare hospitals across the state continue to operate without basic modern medical tools and life-saving equipment.

“This limits their ability to provide comprehensive care at their level, especially in emergencies, leading to avoidable referrals and patient fatalities,” he added.