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By Dada Ahmed in Lokoja
More than two months after some armed youths stormed the largest hospital in Kogi state, Federal Medical Centre,(FMC, Lokoja, destroyed some propeety, leading to closure of the hospital, the idea of when it will be re-opened for public service remained unknown as at Saturday.
A correspondent of The Reporters,an online publication, who visited the hospital on Saturday reports that the facility remained lock and key.
The online reports that the closure was during the hit of Coronavirus.
A reliable source told our correspondent in Lokoja that the hospital was re-opened two weeks ago but suddenly it was closed again, adding that since then, nothing had been hard as to when it would be finally reopen for service.
Various segments of the society who spoke on the issue with The Reporters have been urging the appropriate authorities to iron out the contending issues that led to the closure of facility, in the interest of public health.
The Kogi State House of Assembly had earlier stressed the need for the timely reopening of the hospital to ensure resumption services to the sick and others seeking access to various medical needs.
The House made the call, following a motion of urgent public importance moved by the member representing Lokoja 1 Constituency, Tenimu Umar.
Umar had expressed concern on the deteriorating health situation of the people of the state which he said was due to the prolonged closure of the hospital.
The lawmaker said cases that that were ordinarily treatable at the hospital were now being referred to Abuja,a development he added, had put extra financial burden on the health seekers.
Umar appealed to the state government to wade in the matter to ensure quick reopening of the facility, to enable the people have access to medicare with less stress.
After exhaustive debate on the matter, the House resolved to intervene on the matter by mandating its Committee on Health to interface with the management of the FMC, Federal Ministry of Health and the State Ministry of Health to ensure speedy resolution of all issues involved.
The House noted that the continued closure of FMC,Lokoja was not in the best interest of the public to which it was meant to provide healthcare for.
Ruling on the motion, the Speaker, Prince Matthew Kolawole, directed the House Committee on Health to interface with all relevant stakeholders and report back to the House within one week to fast-track the-opening of the hospital.
