General Hospitals in Akwa Ibom State are generating millions of naira monthly for the state government, yet they receive minimal financial support, leaving them struggling to maintain essential services.
This issue was revealed during an unannounced oversight visit by the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly (AKHA) Health Committee on Tuesday.
Led by Committee Chairman Hon. Moses Essien, the team visited General Hospitals in Awa (Onna), Eket, and Iquita (Oron) to evaluate healthcare services and assess the utilization of allocated funds. To their surprise, the hospitals, despite generating significant income, receive only meager subventions from the state.
At General Hospital Awa, Dr. Francis Inyang, the Chief Medical Superintendent, disclosed that the hospital returns N2-3 million to the state government each month but receives only N80,000 in subvention. This funding gap has forced the hospital to self-finance equipment repairs and essential services, creating a challenging operational environment.
In Eket, Immanuel General Hospital generates between N2.5-3.5 million monthly from surgical operations, with the pharmacy contributing another N6 million. Despite this, Dr. Idongesit Itaketo, the hospital’s Chief Medical Superintendent, revealed that they receive only N200,000 in monthly subvention. The promised N10 million allocation from the state government has also yet to materialize, leaving the hospital reliant on donations to stay operational.
Similarly, General Hospital Iquita in Oron faces comparable issues, with a monthly subvention of just N200,000. Chief Medical Superintendent Dr. Sabastine Noah also noted that despite an allocated N10 million for a dental clinic, the funds remain inaccessible due to the clinic not being operational. The hospital further struggles with erratic power supply and staff shortages.
Hon. Moses Essien commended the hospital management teams for their efforts in maintaining clean and functional facilities despite the funding challenges. However, he expressed disappointment at the significant gap between the hospitals’ revenue generation and their subventions. He assured the staff that the AKHA Health Committee would prioritize ensuring the prompt release of funds allocated in the 2024 budget.
“We cannot allow our hospitals to continue struggling while contributing significantly to the state’s revenue. The ARISE agenda of Governor Umo Eno places health at the forefront, and we must ensure these facilities are adequately funded,” Essien said.
Other lawmakers on the oversight visit, including Hon. Uduak-obong Ekpo-Ufot (Etinan), Hon. Dr. Itoro Etim (Uruan), and Hon. Prince-Aniefiok Attah (Nsit Atai), echoed Essien’s concerns, calling for urgent action to address the funding discrepancies and support the hospitals’ operations.