Crisis Rocks National Hospital, Abuja Over Appointment of New CMD
Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
A major crisis is brewing at the nation’s foremost reference hospital facility, the National Hospital in Abuja over leadership succession tussle.
THISDAY investigations revealed that the likely cause of the debacle in the appointment of a new Chief Medical Director (CMD) for the hospital was the desperate move by some powerful interests to impose someone without recourse to due process.
After the eight-year tenure of the erstwhile CMD, Dr. Jaf Momoh, another person, Dr. Aisha Umar took over as Acting CMD. Aisha later left for leave of absence with Dr. Badamosi stepping in to act while she was away.
When THISDAY sought an explanation from the parent ministry, the Federal Ministry of Health over the brewing crisis, a senior official who pleaded anonymity told our correspondent that the issue had attracted several petitions and that these complaints were being looked into by the ministry.
“This is an internal matter. As far as I know, there have been petitions over the replacement of the CMD of the National Hospital, Abuja and the ministry is still looking into the matter,” she said.
The official said the succession crisis at the National Hospital had led to several meetings being convened to try to resolve it.
THISDAY gathered that one of such meetings was held last Friday, at the ministry where issues resulting from the outcome of CMD interview were examined, but not conclusively dealt with.
A source at the National Hospital, Abuja, had traced the origin of the crisis to an interview conducted for a substantive CMD.
He said the Minister of Health Dr. Ehanire Osagie had set up a 6-member panel to interview applicants for the CMD job.
According to the source, the panel was made up of the Director General of the Nigerian Centre for Disease control (NCDC), Executive Secretary of the Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), eight directors from Federal Ministry of health, Chairman and Board members of National Hospital Abuja, Prof Giwa Osagie renown gynaecologist and former MD of federal medical Centre Jabi,Mrs Igwillo, as resource persons.
It said the panel had made its final selection and recommended three persons in order of the best performance.
He alleged that the three finalists were: Dr. Oluwole Olaomi, Dr. Ogbalu and Prof Adekunle Salaudeen
The source said the panel members had signed and sent the recommendation to the Minister of Health for him to forward the report to President Muhammadu Buhari to pick the best for the appointment
“Unfortunately the Minister wrote to the hospital last week that he cancelled the interview report. He now wrote to the hospital that he’s conducting a new interview with another panel,” he added.
