By Abdurrahim Ibrahim
When Shamsudeen Abubakar, a 300-level Education and English Language student, accompanied his brother to the school clinic, he was expecting swift action, especially since his brother’s condition was serious. Unfortunately, it became clear that immediate help was not available.
Frustration set in for Shamsudeen when he found no doctors present. As his brother’s condition worsened, the only option left was to resort to the costlier alternative.
“There was a day when I escorted my brother to the clinic. He was in a serious condition, but unfortunately, none of the doctors were available, even at the emergency unit,” he said.
“This delay worsened his sickness, and we had no choice but to take him to a costlier hospital,” Shamsudeen recounted, feeling helpless at the clinic’s inability to attend to his brother.
Shamsudeen also highlighted the challenges students face at the school clinic, which often results in them missing lectures. “Some students have to wait for more hours before they get attended to,” he beemed.
For Mukhtar Shaf’u, a 200-level Islamic Education student, the experience was just as frustrating.
“Once, I went to the clinic in a severely ill condition. The problem began when I couldn’t find the person responsible for issuing cards, and I ended up waiting for almost an hour before seeing a doctor,” Mukhtar narrated.
To make matters worse, after receiving a prescription from the doctor, the school pharmacist only provided two out of the four prescribed drugs to him. Although Mukhtar was asked to return the next day, he didn’t bother, feeling it would still be the same.
The Issue is Beyond our Control—Dr. Ibrahim Umar
In an interview with the UDUS Director of Health, Dr. Ibrahim Umar, he explained that the challenges being faced by students are beyond the clinic’s control, with lack of manpower being a major issue.
“Among all the service departments in the university, we have the least number of staff. There are just 65 of us in this clinic, yet everyone requires our services. So, how would you expect things to run smoothly?” he questioned.
Dr. Ibrahim further expressed concern over the financial difficulties affecting the clinic. According to him, the clinic lacks sufficient funds to carry out its activities, and rising fuel prices are taking up much of the budget intended for other necessities.
“The clinic doesn’t have enough money to sustain its operations. Even the light bulbs aren’t working, and fueling the generator is a huge challenge. Whenever we attempt to buy fuel, it drains all the money we had set aside for other things. Our ambulance has been broken down for over six months,” he explained.
When asked about the growing complaints by students, the Dean of Students’ Affairs, Professor Umar Aliyu, said:
“I’m not fully aware of what is happening in the clinic because the Director and I haven’t discussed the issues in detail. However, I know that, due to the high number of sick students, the allocated drugs are used up quickly. The Director has to follow certain procedures before replenishing them, which might be causing the delay.”
Prof. Umar added that the issue of long queues is not unique to the school clinic, as it is a common problem in many hospitals, even private ones. He advised students to exercise patience while waiting for doctors and to reach out to the emergency unit for cases that require urgent attention. He also urged students to consider the current economic difficulties and make sure they check thoroughly when looking for available doctors.
“Anyone facing difficulties should reach out to me. My number is always available,” he concluded.