St. Gerards Hospital Kaduna Decry N27m Debt Owed By Govt, Companies, Others
The management of St. Gerards Catholic hospital in Kaduna state has lamented the non-payment of N27million debt owed by the state government, companies and others patients who have patronized the hospital.
Speaking at a press conference organized to commemorate the 60th golden jubilee of the hospital, the administrator of St. Gerards Catholic Hospital, Reverend Sister Beatrice Danladi on Sunday said that Kaduna state government owes the hospital N12.1million.
While she thanked Governor Nasir El-Rufai for the payment of N8million out of the initial N15.6million debt owed by the state for the treatment of 2011 post-election crisis, derailed train accident in Kakau, police station attack in Kujama and electrocuted children in Kakuri; she noted that another N4.5million debt was incurred in 2016/2017.
“Following the visit of the governor to the Fire and Accident victims, he gave a directive that we should treat and send their medical bills to him which amounted to N4.5million in 2016/2017. The bill has been sent and no positive response till date. In total, Kaduna state owes N12million which comprise of the N4.5million plus the outstanding balance of N7.6million,” she explained.
According to her, other patients and companies also owe the hospital close to N15million. This heavy debts and utility bills she said has remained a big challenge to the hospital.
“We would have loved to offer inexpensive services but due to the economic situation of the country, we have no means of generating adequate funds for easy implementation of our goals and sustenance of skilled staff. As a matter of fact, the hospital is being faced with huge utility bills, outstanding medical bills owed by some patients who after treatment abscond to the detriment of the hospital and inadequate support from donor agencies,” she said.
Also, speaking at the Mass service at the Catholic Church to mark the celebration, the Archbishop of the Kaduna Catholic Church, His Grace, Most Reverend Mathew Man-Oso Ndagoso urged that the tenets upon which the hospital was established be stacked to, noting that the institution was established for humanitarian purposes.
He explained that the situation in the hospital has changed because it is no longer getting funds from donors like it used to be in the past.
He however appealed to also change their mentality to meet the reality on ground that the hospital is running on internal donations.
Earlier in his goodwill messages, Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Shehu Sani said that the hospital in the last 60 years has continued to be a community-based institution focusing on people’s health.
He added that the hospital has established an enviable reputation as a medical centre where victims of accidents are taken to for urgent attention and medications without hindrance of exorbitant initial financial deposits.
By Christiana T. Alabi | DailyTrust
