The Chief Medical Director, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Prof. Chris Bode, has spoken about the tough experiences the institution is facing.
Apart from the frequent industrial actions embarked upon by medical doctors is causing instability in the system, the biting inflation in the country is affecting budgeting.
Bode made the remark on Monday at LUTH, Idi-Araba, during the inspection of facilities at the hospital by the House of Representatives Committee on Health Institutions.
He described strike as one of the major challenges facing the hospital, as the development had disrupted services, training and research.
“A lot of confidence developed within the clientele base during the past 20 months of the pandemic has also been lost.
“The rapidly deteriorating value of the Naira has an ongoing deleterious effect on awarded contracts and budget projections.
“All contractors have asked for variation and reviews because of cost overrun.
“The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has more than halved patronage and attendance in hospitals, affecting revenue generation and projected expansion,” Bode said.
According to him, the emigration of medical staff has eroded the staff strength in all professional cadres, as professional staff have been resigning and leaving for greener pastures.
He said that the staff shortage was caused by both the massive ongoing emigration and the expansion of facilities.
Responding, Chigozie Obi, Chairman, House Committee on Health Institutions, said that the essence of the visit was to ensure that budgetary provisions were appropriately utilised.
Obi commended the CMD for the ongoing rehabilitation of facilities in the hospital.
