By Ankeli Emmanuel (In Sokoto State)
Processor Shehu Sale, the Medical Director, Federal Neuro Psychiatric Hospital, Sokoto State, Professor Shehu Sales, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his administration's release of the Federal Government funded COVID-19 interventions, which, according to him, is yielding positive impacts on service delivery in hospitals.
Prof. Saleh who is the Medical Director and Consultant Psychiatric, Board Certified Child and Adolescent, a Master Trainer of United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and an International Certified Addiction (ICA) Professional, said the Federal Government had funded new major projects in its COVID-19 interventions.
While stressing that the Minister of State for Health, Sen. Olorunimbe Mamora has been instrumental towards achieving numerous successes in the hospital, Prof Shehu listed the projects to include; construction and equipping of intensive care unit, molecular laboratory, isolation centre and procurement of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) amongst others.
'' We really appreciate President Muhammadu Buhari for bolstering and funding healthcare delivery by these interventions meant to serve Nigerians especially those living in Northwest states and other neighbouring countries.
'' The recently completed advanced molecular laboratory is designed to carry out basic and advanced diagnostic testing for communicable and non-communicable diseases. Set.up as a Biosafety Level III (BSL III) Laboratory, it is capable of handling testing of infectious diseases of public health concerns such as various strains of Coronaviruses, Ebola Virus as well as Lassa Virus.
'' Early detection of these infections is of paramount importance to curb the spread of these potentially deleterious organisms. The advance molecular test laboratory is meant for COVID-19 test in the hospital as well as other viruses and high precision test, which before now the hospital have to source such service in sister federal hospital at a fee ’’, Prof Shehu enthused..
Talking on the well equipped laboratory, Prof Shehu, said it's fully automated Chemistry, Immunology, Haematology and Microbiology equipment would help in carrying out supportive testing required in the treatment of patients on Isolation and those in critical care as well.
On the newly constructed Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in the Federal Neuro Psychiatric hospital, Prof Shehu stated that the state-of-the-art medical equipment now ease their jobs of attending to the care of both Paediatric and Adult patients requiring intensive care services.
''The ICU is fitted with digital monitors and a central monitoring unit that allow for continuous monitoring of vital signs and provides warning system for immediate intervention when needed. Additionally, a dialysis machine is available to support the care of patients who develop kidney failure.
"Ultrasonography is also available at bedside service using mobile ultrasound machine. There is also a mobile digital X-ray machine stationed in the ICU for radiological investigation of COVID-19 infected patients who develop complications like respiratory(chest) infections or difficulties that will require an urgent x-ray of the chest.
“This development has put the hospital at par with other tertiary health institutions in the country in the management of COVID-19 infection”.
While noting that the hospital will soon have it's own Isolation center, Prof Shehu thanked the federal government for the large quantity of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) being provided for them, adding it will provide protection to the frontline healthcare workers, guarantee their safety and save cost for them now unlike when they used to spend scares resource purchasing these items at exorbitant rates before the intervention.
In his confidence that the hospital is growing to a hub of mental health treatment and other services in the north, the Medical Director thanked the federal government for awarding contract for the construction of Regional Women and Children Drug Dependence Treatment Center in the hospital.
"And un order to ensure accountability and transparency, the hospital is currently digitalizing all it's service centers and will soon operate a paper-less transaction at all points within the hospital.
''This has already been implemented at medical records registration and payment of hospital fees stations. This step has greatly reduced patients waiting time and increased the internally generated revenue in the hospital.
'' Also to address the challenges of irregular electricity supply to the hospital, alternative power supply using solar inverters have been installed at the administrative building, out-patient department, medical records department, Pharmacy, Intensive care unit, isolation center, molecular laboratory and some of the hospital wards '' Prof Shehu recounted. NNL.
