By Sani Adamu Hassan

The Management of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) Bauchi has debunked rumors making rounds that it is rejecting admission of patients without cash.

“The attention of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital Bauchi, has been drawn to rumours circulating on social media platforms that the hospital is not accepting patients without cash”, Usman Abdullahi Koli
Head, PR unit of the Hospital said in a press release yesterday.

According to Abdullahi Koli, the story is fake and unfounded, adding that the hospital still considers patients without cash.

“Members of the public are advised to disregard the rumours, while the hospital continues to accord priority to patients”, the press release said.

Koli said that the hospital has warmly embraced the federal government’s cashless policy introduced through the Central Bank, in order to make transactions easy to patients and their relatives.

“To this end, the hospital introduces a method to ease the process of payments to patients on admission and those that will come for health care services”, the release explained.

Abdullahi Koli who further said that the management agreed to collect all kind of e-payment across all its collation centers explained that a print out remitta will be given to the client for validation of payment.

He pointed out that Point of Sale (POS) operators are also available at some payment points for transfer and transaction of the naira notes, while charges for the POS is being coordinated by the management.

Abdullahi Koli further noted that the management has improved its network capacity for the utilization of internet banking as well as to save time with improved accessibility.

“The general public is hereby urged to comply with the new policy and give maximum cooperation while at the hospital”, he said

Life become miserable without salary more especially to a man who is battling with phycological disorder and looking for a helping hands to survive, imagine living for 38 months as a civil servant without your salary being paid. Imagine your salary being withheld for no proper justifications. Imagine the economical, psychological, and health challenges you and your dependants will face. This is a true life story of Haruna Ibrahim, a Bauchi state civil servant under the Ministry of Environment and Forestry with PSN821312.

Haruna, who was not being paid since October, 2019, is an indigene of Itas/Gadau Local Government Area of the state. It could be vividly recalled that his salary was put to halt by Adamu Gumba’s verification committee which was set-up by Governor Bala Muhammed of Bauchi state. Haruna in an interaction told me that all efforts to address the issue failed as he was pretty sure that Governor Bala Muhammed is not aware of the situation. ” I am not a ghost worker, I hope that Governor Bala Muhammed will listen to me this time around” Haruna said in tears.

Doctors’ experiment said that the victim is battling with psychological disorder which is in one way or the other connected to the situation he finds himself. His sibling, Auwalu Haruna said whenever Bauchi state government pays salaries, his brother becomes sleepless for days. He added that the victim has been visiting his Ministry and his bank throughout the 38 months in order to resolve the issue but nothing good comes out of it.

I am therefore urging on the Bauchi state Governor, Bala Muhammad, the SSG, Head of Civil Service, and Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Environment and Forestry to look into Haruna Ibrahim’s issue.
If my call is answered, Haruna would be able to get medications, help his subordinates and start a good life. This write-up is to make the concerned authorities to take actions. I don’t mean to condemn or tarnish the current administration.

May Allah make it easy for Haruna Ibrahim, grant him Shifa and he can be contacted through harunibb22@gmail.com

Comr. Mashema writes from Bauchi state, and can be reached via mashema010@gmail.com

The unique nature of Governor Bala Mohammed’s 2023 Gubernatorial Campaign is the provision of Basic Healthcare Services to rural dwellers using a team of Government House Medical Personnel comprising Doctor, Nurses and medical attendants who are part of the campaign entourage.

The initiative being supervised by the Personal Physician to the Governor, Dr. Murtala Abubakar Babayo was aimed at leveraging on the Governor’s presence in the hard to reach communities to reach out the targeted beneficiaries.

When the campaign train transverses through villages of Beli, Dango and Zigau all in Shira Government area on the way to Palace of District Head of Disina, some residents took advantage of the free medical services in the respective communities.

Some of the services rendered include attending to Basic Medical Emergencies, treatment of Minor Surgical Injuries, administration certain Medical Consumables as well as offering medical advices.

Speaking to Government House Correspondent, the Personal Physician to Governor Bala Mohammed, Dr. Murtala Abubakar Babayo explained that the initiative was to complement the Governor’s effort in ensuring the wellbeing of people especially in rural areas.

He commended the Governor for providing all necessary support to the medical unit towards discharging it’s responsibilities effectively.

It could be recall that similar initiative was launched at the Headquarters of Zaki Local Government Area where over ten thousand people are to benefit from a free medical outreach from each of the twenty local government areas of the state.