By Fathiu Jimoh
When Muhammad Nurudeen felt a sharp pain in his stomach, he never knew it would later land him at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto (UDUS) clinic. Around 6 p.m. the next day, the pain returned, and this time, it didn’t leave.
Realizing it wasn’t going away, he cried out to his hostel mates, who quickly rushed him to the school clinic for urgent treatment. But that was only the beginning.
“When we reached the hospital, we didn’t meet the doctor, and when he arrived, he said there’s no medicine, and he directed us to the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH).”
As he noticed that no drug was forthcoming, he subscribed to going to a private pharmacist at the school Mini Mart. “I later went to the pharmacy shop to buy some medications where I spent almost N25,000,” Muhammad told the News Digest Press.
Bad Trends
Lack of medical facilities in Nigerian public institutions is not new. For example, in 2015, a 200-level student named Mayowa Alaran from the University of Ibadan, who was having an asthmatic attack, died after the university clinic staff refused to treat him immediately because he did not have his medical card. This unfortunate incident led to massive student protests, road blockades, and widespread outcry among the students, The Cable reported.
In Benson Idahosa University in 2023, a final-year Computer Science student died after being left unattended for hours at the university clinic. The staff were said to be neglectful, Vanguard reported.
Also, in 2018, a final-year Nursing student at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, died reportedly due to negligence by the university clinic staff. Although detailed specifics are fewer, this incident triggered protests by the students of the institution who faulted the inadequate medical attention at the school clinic, The Guardian reported.
More Students Cry Out
Muhammad Nurudeen is not alone. Mujibu Moshood, a Political Science student, also experienced the same when he fell sick. The sophomore student would later go to a private pharmacist in town to spend the money he had never wanted to.
“The doctor told me I will be fine soon, but the clinic didn’t give me any medication,” Moshood said. “I didn’t waste time before I went to town that day.”
Ramah Oba, a 200-level Pure Chemistry student, while also speaking with the News Digest Press, questioned the importance of the clinic at schools if they can’t provide medicine for the students.
She said, “I always use my money to buy medicine. The clinic never gives me medicine or drugs. In fact, I don’t know the purpose of the school clinic hospital.”
It’s a Lie, Says Clinic Pharmacist
When the News Digest Press visited one of the pharmacists, who pleaded anonymity at the school clinic, he denied the allegations that the school clinic is not serving the students drugs. According to him, “This is a lie because we give out medicine to students without collecting anything from them.”
“Though there are some medicines or drugs that we don’t have, sometimes some other medicines are not available,” he explained. “I am on duty from morning to afternoon. At night, another pharmacist comes. So, if the school clinic does not have medicine, we can’t interfere during that time.”