5th October, 2020
The Management of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Makurdi, has renovated, equipped and opened a special “amenity’’ ward for patients.
Since the creation of Benue in 1976, the FMC amenity ward is the first standard amenity ward to be built by a public hospital in the state.
Presenting the facility to the public on Monday in Makurdi, its Chief Medical Director (CMD), Dr Peteru Inunduh, said the ward was situated in a serene part of the hospital to provide comprehensive and special care.
Dr. Inunduh said the amenity ward would provide quick, qualitative and affordable medical services to patients in a serene environment devoid of delays caused by unforeseen circumstances in public hospitals.
“We from this side want to work in silence. The more you talk the more you spread COVID-19. The management team of FMC Makurdi for a long time has conceived the idea that we need a standard amenity ward for our patients.
“We realised that one of the fundamental differences between our hospitals and hospitals in other countries, especially in the Western world is the serene environment that they have.
“We have moved away from the time when hospitals were seen as dirty places to where they are home away from home. Hospitals should have standards of good hotels and that is what we have done at the amenity ward,’’ he said.
The ward has eight beds in the same number of executive rooms and two in two private rooms.
Dr, Inunduh said the ward would be open to all people who desired quality medical care at affordable rates.
“All the patients that will be admitted as from next week will have uniforms; no patient is allowed to wear his personal cloths into the ward, you must change into the patients’ uniform.
“In other words, we are trying to develop and manage a small hospital within a hospital and see if people are able to buy into this concept then we will begin to expand it,’’ he said, adding that a contractor has been engaged for its upkeep and maintenance.
He also disclosed that the Centre has just successfully sunk its first borehole since it was established in 1995.
Speaking to newsmen on the sideline, the state’s Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association, Dr Samuel Otene commended the management of the Centre for providing medical services options for the people of the State.
“We know of people who travel all the way to Abuja and Lagos for medical care not because they don’t trust the hands in Makurdi, but because they don’t have confidence in the facilities available. This ward will provide that needed option,’’ he said.