By: Dr. James Bwala
Those who recently visited the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) expressed dissatisfaction with the flood-soaked equipment and the enormous amount of money required to restore it to operational condition. This is particularly true of the machines in the radiology department, the cancer center, the hospital stores, the child institute, the trauma center, the burn center, and numerous other centers. The largest hospital in sub-Saharan Africa, with a capacity of over 1300 beds, takes pride in it. These have exacerbated the management’s efforts to devise a plan to restore UMTH to its pre-flood pedestrian status and ensure that it regains its position as a behemoth on the West African pride stage.
In fact, the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), which has been badly damaged, has made urgent appeals for help in response to the recent flooding in Maiduguri, Nigeria, after the Alau Dam, a vital water supply for the city, collapsed, Maiduguri was hit by unheard-of flooding that flooded half of its land and impacted more than two million people. Due to significant damage to its infrastructure and equipment, the hospital—which is essential for medical services in Borno State, Nigeria, and west Africa—was shuttered for two weeks. Basic services will soon restart, but full operational capacity is still questionable. As a result, the government, as well as motivated individuals and organizations, must take the necessary actions to make full operationality a reality.
Beyond just providing healthcare, the humanitarian crisis has made pre-existing issues like food shortages and displacement among vulnerable groups worse. Around a million people have been affected by the floods, and there have been reports of a rise in family separations, gender-based violence, and illness epidemics that need immediate medical attention. As a result, UMTH, which offers incalculable assistance to families attempting to restore their health in the face of tremendous destruction, needs immediate support.
This circumstance emphasizes how urgently governments and international organizations must coordinate their assistance efforts. For the purpose of meeting urgent needs in Maiduguri and the adjacent areas, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is actively looking for more resources. To guarantee proper healthcare service returns at the UMTH, the UN agencies and other INGOs should also concentrate on the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital. The long-term recovery prospects for people and healthcare facilities like UMTH remain dire in the absence of prompt action and consistent support from multiple stakeholders.
It is crucial that government agencies and motivated citizens work together to support organizations like UMTH in the face of frequent flooding. In addition to displacing people, floods destroy livelihoods, resulting in a vicious cycle of poverty from which it is difficult to break. This poverty raises the likelihood that healthcare services will collapse, especially when diseases are spreading. All hands must be on deck to specifically look into the needs of health institutions at this time to lessen the impact of disease outbreaks as Maiduguri has started to experience, as a breakdown in medical equipment will further short-lived efforts in managing such epidemics.
In order to prevent the degradation of vital medical services, UMTH management has called for safe collapsing equipment due to flooding. Government agencies and concerned citizens must unite to offer the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) immediate support and resources in their fight against flood damage. As we have seen at the UMTH, the teamwork may act as a beacon of resilience, demonstrating the effectiveness of shared accountability and group efforts in reducing the effects of disasters.
In addition to guaranteeing the continuation of vital healthcare services, this united front promotes a culture of readiness and adaptability that goes beyond the current crisis management of healthcare services at the UMTH due to equipment shortages. Furthermore, UMTH’s ability to withstand future flood events can be greatly increased by addressing its infrastructure vulnerabilities through targeted interventions. This will protect public health and minimize medical service disruptions, which is especially important for the people of Borno State at this time.
In order to do this, government organizations must give top priority to financial and policy measures to strengthen UMTH’s infrastructure against flood threats. In addition, enthusiastic people can help by participating in community-based projects and fundraising campaigns that directly benefit UMTH, thus enhancing governmental actions. We can establish a sustainable framework that not only tackles current issues but also establishes the foundation for long-term resilience against future calamities by cultivating a strong collaboration between governmental programs and community-driven initiatives.
Dr. James Bwala, PhD, writes from Abuja
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