AAUA students decry institution’s dilapidated health centre

Students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), have decried the decrepit state of their institution’s health centre, describing it as pitiful and shadow of itself.

According to the students, they found it more comforting to seek medical attention outside the university healthcare centre.The Guardian gathered that the loss of belief in the institution’s health centre was attributed to lack of adequate medical facilities, experienced personnel, lack of drugs, rude and indifferent attitude of the staff in the department.

The Guardian also learned that the nonchalant attitude of staff in the department once led to the death of a student, which resulted in a riot that placed and halted the academic calendar for the year. A 400L student of Adult Education, Segun Afolayan, said health care performance is determined by the actions and attitude of the workers.

Afolayan stated that most nurses at the centre were impolite, hot-tempered and their attitude discourages some students from visiting the health centre.The student said he has been to the health centre twice or thrice but observed that there were usually many patients and issues of insufficient drugs. He said: “There was a time I was very sick, I had to go to the health centre on a Saturday. I had to wait long hours before I could see the doctor, who was not around at the time of my arrival. In the end, I could not wait due to how I was feeling; I had to leave. The health centre’s services are poor.”

A 200 level student of the department of mass communication who pleaded for anonymity disclosed that the only drug available at the clinic is Paracetamol and the services rendered were nothing to write home about. The mass communication student said it is important for the centre to be adequately funded and supervised to meet all the necessary requirements.However, when contacted, the Director of the centre, Dr. Mathew Igboku, said the relationship between students and health personal was cordial.

He said the behaviour of some nurses were due to work pressure and students’ attitudes. “The nurses are having a very cordial relationship with the students. There are situations where the nurses even buy food for students before they give them injection. But there can sometimes be pressure at work, which has happened to even me as the director,” Igboku said.

He added that students are very impatient, and the nurses because of work pressure might ask such students to be patient, but students will misinterpret it.

“Students conducts towards the nurses are harsh. They are mothers too and they have children who are in universities. A good number of them have cordial relationships with students. The health department often shows benevolence to students who are yet to register at the centre. A good percentage of students have registered, but even if you are not registered and you come to the health center, considering the severity of your illness, we will go ahead and treat you because there is space for emergency cards,” he expressed.

Advising the students to desist from self-medication and consult the centre for any health issues, he urged them to enjoy the benefits of Tertiary Institute of Social Health Insurance Program (TSHIP) on the students’ welfare. He said, “In the past, we didn’t have enough drugs to give to patients. Every student is expected to pay for Tertiary Institute of Social Health Insurance Program [TSHIP], which is written somewhere on the school fee receipt. We have a good supply of drugs now from this TSHIP arrangement.

“When we refer a patient to the state hospital, the person doesn’t have to pay for anything if he/she has paid his/her school fees. Again, assuming you are residing in Lagos and you are sick, you can go to any hospital that is NHIS accredited. When you go there, and you call us that you are a registered student and have paid your school fees, that hospital will treat you free of charge and send the bills to the Health Management Organisation.”