By Olu Benjamin
Management of Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Keffi have confirmed and warned staff to stop diverting patients away from the medical centre for drugs and services the medical centre has the capacity to provide.
Miss Esther Bature, Head of Public Relations and Protocol Unit of the medical centre made this known in an interview with newsmen in Keffi local government area of Nasarawa state on Thursday.
Our reporter reports that a circular dated June 20 2024 sighted by newsmen and signed by Dr Usman Kana, Head of Clinical Services of the medical centre had already issued a final waning to staff on the matter.
According to the circular, management were aware of the illegal activity and would take disciplinary procedure against anyone caught in line with the Public Service Rule 100402 (1) hence the final warning.
However sources working in the centre who declined to be named told newsmen the illegal practice was still ongoing in the medical centre thereby leading to loss of internally generated revenues for the medical centre and the federal government.
In her reaction, Bature also confirmed the development to newsmen and said investigations were ongoing to unravel those behind it.
“We have staff helping us monitor such activities. We will not tolerate staff diverting staff from the medical centre when we have the capacity to provide for the needs of the patients.
“So we have people on ground to help us spy and ensure that nobody again diverts patients from the medical centre,” she said.
She assured that the Managing Director Dr Yahaya Adamu led management was working assiduously to improve services at the medical centre.
A patient, Mr David King however told newsmen that the illegal diversion of patients was still ongoing in the medical centre.
“I saw a case where a patient came with a complaint and a doctor wrote a different thing and told the patient to go to a particular place and wait for him.
“This is why they are making this government hospital very bad for us so that so that we can be tempted to go and access services in their private clinics.
“It also happened to my friend. He came here with his wife and a doctor directly diverted us and we went there. They charged him and did the whole thing.
“They will discredit this hospital while promoting their private clinics and saying I’m their place they deal on quality and it’s very bad,” he said.
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