By BILKISU ADAMU

The Chief Medical Director of Nasarawa State Hospitals Management Board (HMB), Dr. Egba Edego, has directed the managements of hospitals in the state to immediately report cases of disease outbreak to the Line Directors of the HMB before reporting the matter to the State Ministry of Health,

Dr. Edego, who gave the directive during the Monthly Coordination Meeting between the HMB Management Committee and the Management Committee of the 17 General Hospitals in the state at the HMB Headquarters, along Shendam Road in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital last Monday, February 20, 2023.

He also used the forum to warn hospitals in the state against purchasing drugs on credit and to ensure effective communication with the HMB with regard to the running of the hospitals.

The CMD insisted that cases of disease outbreak should be reported to the line directors of HMB before reporting same to the State Ministry of Health for effective coordination and response.

Edego, while noting with dismay how some facilities have stopped holding HDRF meetings before procurement of drugs and, worse still, failing to copy such transactions to the board headquarters, warned that henceforth all communications with Drug Supply Management Agency should include the HMB headquarters.

He also reiterated that no facility should purchase drugs on credit as any facility found wanting would be sanctioned and advised the hospitals to work within the Drug Supply Management Agency guidelines, emphasizing that all payments for services and procurement must be done in company names.

He urged the 17 General Hospitals in the state to contribute meaningfully towards better service delivery at the facility level and galvanize their knowledge and experiences to enable them to collectively proffer solutions to bottlenecks hindering smooth running of healthcare facilities.

Dr. Edego also said that staff of the hospitals should follow due process before leaving their facilities at the end of their daily engagements to avoid being accused of truancy as stringent measures would be taken against anyone found wanting.

Directors took turns to advise and encourage the management committee of the hospitals to ensure that staff of the hospitals do the right things always for the upliftment of the health sector in the state.