Reasons for the choice of the Dalhatu Araf Specialists Hospital (DASH) Lafia to serve as the new teaching hospital for the Federal University of Lafia (FULafia) has emerged.
, instead of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Keffi have emerged.
Chief Medical Director at the DASH, Dr. Ikrama Hassan made the revelation when he led top management of the hospital on a thank-you visit on Governor Abdullahi Sule at the Government House on Thursday.
According to the CMD, the Federal Ministry of Health initially tilted towards the FMC Keffi to serve as the FULafia teaching hospital essentially because of its functionality.
However, at a chanced meeting between the Ministry, Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Lafia, alongside the two CMDs of the FMC Keffi and DASH Lafia, Dr. Hassan was able to outline the tremendous achievements recorded at the DASH by the present administration of Governor Sule.
He informed those at the meeting that five years ago, the DASH had accreditation in only one department but that presently the facility has accreditation in five additional departments making it a total of six.
“When we went for that meeting, their reason was that they didn’t want to site a teaching hospital that is not very functional. They had a lot of experiences in other parts of the country. They didn’t want to repeat those mistakes. So because of functionality, they preferred Keffi because of the FMC.
“The VC asked me to address them, and I reeled out to them the things we have, and ended up that we have had five accreditations to train postgraduate doctors. If we could train the teachers of medical students, is it the medical students that we could not train? So if their reason for choosing Keffi was functionality, then they should get another reason.
“It was at point that they decided no, they didn’t believe what I said they wanted to come and see. And they set up a committee. That was the first committee that visited us. After that, their recommendation was very clear. In terms of functionality they rated us higher than Keffi,” he said.
The CMD emphasized that five years ago, DASH had accreditation in only one department. But within that time and now, the facility have accreditation in six departments.
“In each one of them, we usually have regulators from the African College of Surgeons, National Postgraduate Medical College, to come and check our facilities, equipment, staffing, patients lodge, before getting accreditation to train postgraduate medical doctors. I believe that was what helped significantly in the final decision to convert this hospital to a teaching hospital,” he added.
He said that under the present leadership of Governor Sule the hospital has continued to grow from strength to strength such that DASH is now a referral point across Northern Nigeria.
“All CMDs in Northern Nigeria, if it’s state specialists hospital they always call me to find out how did this or that. Recently that of Jos got a new CMD. DASH is the first place he visited. In Gusau, they are now remodeling their hospital. The CMD was here two months ago to see how are we achieving what we are achieving. All of these is because of the support and attention you have given to DASH,” the CMD stated.
He said he led top management staff of the hospital to the Government House to appreciate the Governor for all that he did leading to the upgrading of DASH to a teaching hospital.
“There has been a celebration galore almost every time since the announcement of the conversion of the hospital. Something that we have looking forward to for a very long period of time. And God’s willing, in your time, we have been able to achieve it. Everybody has started bragging that he is now a federal civil servant. Even though it was just last week that it was announced. We came here to thank you, most sincerely, for the role that you have played in getting us to this stage,” Dr. Hassan added.
Responding, Governor Abdullahi Sule said it’s better that it is the CMD of DASH that is informing the people that five years ago, the hospital had accreditation in only one department but that now it has additional five accreditations to make it six.
“Usually, I dont believe we should be the ones to say we have done this, we have done that. Let other people say it, after you and I and your management are gone. That is when people will appreciate it.
“When you mentioned that, a lot of people will not believe that when we came we had only one department that has accreditation. If you are saying it some people will say it is not true. But it is better it comes from you that this what has been and then today we have six,” he said.
The Governor said it would be hard for people to believe that for the 20 years DASH has existed, the hospital had accreditation in only one department.
“If you are saying it some people will say it is not true. But it is better it comes from you that this is what has been and then today we have six. When you say that, then they will say how come in 5 years for over 20 years that we had the DASH we didn’t have accreditation it is now that we have additional five to make it six. Because that is the nature of our people. First, it is actually to doubt and say no and then to oppose,” he noted.
Governor Sule said but for the relocation of the DASH to Akwanga, the plan by his administration was to seek further accreditation for eight or more departments at the hospital.
“But you see, our plan is not just to limit it to six. By the time we are leaving if not that we already have it as a teaching hospital, even though now it is moving to Akwanga where again we will be happy to have more accreditation of the various units. By the time we are leaving is to make it eight or nine or something. That way at least we have already done our own part. Which is exactly the way it is supposed to be,” he said.
The Governor commended Dr. Hassan and the management of the DASH for their role leading to the upgrading of the hospital.
“That credit will not come to me alone, it will go to you. Because there are so many MDAs that have been assigned resources and have received the support and they didn’t see that kind of growth. If the management that are there are not serious about it or they have some kind of thoughts about the resources coming to them, you will not see the growth that you have seen,” he stated.
He reiterated that the credit goes to all those who contributed one way or the other to get to the present status of the hospital.
The Chief Medical Director of the DASH was accomplished on the visit by Dr. Aboje Aboje, Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, Dr. Ahmed Wada, Director of Administration, Hajiya Lantana, Director of Finance, Mrs Helen Kpakipi, Director Nursing Services, as well as Mohammed Okonu, Director Pharmaceutical Services.