[dropcap]B[/dropcap]ENIN CITY – Some diabetes patients of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) experienced a set-back in the management of their health challenges, following the breakdown of a glucometer at the General Practice Clinic (GPC) of the hospital in Benin City on Sunday.
The patients, most of whom were old men and women on doctors’ appointment arrived the hospital as early as 7am for their fasting blood sugar test, after which they would proceed to see doctors on duty with the result.
Investigation revealed that the diabetic patients, having spent time on queue at the revenue unit to make payment of N1000 for the test became dejected when they were informed that the results of the fasting blood sugar level (FBS) which used to be obtained immediately would not be ready until three days’ time.
In their separate lamentations and disappointments, Madam Ekhorose, 74 and Kenebi, 79 said waiting for three days to know the levels of sugar in their blood and seeing a doctor when they are already experiencing increased frequency in urination is hellish and huge threat to their lives.
They said they traveled from outside Benin to UBTH for their regular check-ups, noting that the issue of glucometer malfunctioning was becoming a recurring one at the hospital.
They wondered why such federal hospital would parade just a single glucometer when efforts are being made by various governments to revamp the health sector in Nigeria.
Further investigation revealed that the faulty glucometer at the hospital costs between N6, 500 and N8, 000 as most of the diabetes patients have personal ones but the hospital does not accept test results from outside.
Commenting on the sad development, the acting Public Relations Officer for UBTH Mr. Orobosa Oviasuyi who immediately left his office to ascertain the position of things at the GPC when our reporter informed him said the hospital had another glucometer donated recently to it by a company and wondered why the medical team did not immediately start using that when the one they were using developed fault.
He however said a new glucometer had been made available to them.
