By GRACE AUDU, Abuja –
The National Hospital, Abuja said on Wednesday it was putting all its best to support the federal government in the treatment of COVID-19 patients and would not reject any patient at this period.
Public Relations Officer of the hospital, Prince Tayo Haastrup, stated this in reaction to a report in the media that it was among the five high-profile healthcare facilities in Abuja that rejected a 60-year old sick businesswoman during the week, citing “lack of bed space.”
He however told NATIONAL ACCORD that the National Hospital was actually overstretched at the moment as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prince Haastrup said it was not in the hospital’s practice to reject any patient, arguing that from the media report, the National Hospital was acknowledged to have released its ambulance after checking the patient, “which shows our empathy and care for the patient.”
According to the PRO, “It might not be out of place for patient to look for an alternative when there is no bed space . We do have so many times full admission in National hospital including our Accident & Emergency and Trauma centres.”
“Presently, we also have Holden and Isolation centre in the hospital with successful discharge of more than 80 COVID19 patients (and) we are actually overstretched at this present time,” he added.
“We are putting all our best to support the federal govt in the treatment of COVID19 patients and will not reject any patient at this period,” Prince Haastrup assured.
The report in some online media had said the woman, who is in her early sixties, it was gathered, was taken to the hospitals for proper medical attention, after she suddenly fell ill at an unnamed hotel in Gwarimpa, a high-brow area in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
It added that one of the managers of the hotel, who simply gave his name as Samuel, said the aged businesswoman who lodged in their hospitality facility, could not sit or stand, few hours after she checked in.
In a video he made at the Gwarimpa Hospital’s premises which PRNigeria obtained, the young hotel manager, said though they quickly took their guest (the sick woman) to about five major hospitals in Abuja, they were ‘chased away’ and asked to go back home, citing lack of bed space to accommodate her.
He said they were also asked by the doctors at the hospitals to return home, as they (the doctors) believe her temperature is still normal, and not yet a cause for alarm.
“This is the fifth hospital we have visited today from 7 am to now, which is already 8:30 pm,” Samuel said at the Gwarimpa Hospital, which is close to their hotel.
He then added: “Right now, the woman is lying inside the ambulance. And we have to pay for every trip using the ambulance, from National Hospital to the other four hospitals.
“In each of the hospitals we visited, it was the same story of no bed space to admit her. We have been running helter skelter since morning to ensure that nothing tragic happens to her.
“The best the medical personnel at the five hospitals did for us, is to check the woman’s temperature. And after certifying that she is not having high temperature, they separately told us it’s not corona. Hence, we should just take her back home.”