Literary, a medical center is a place set aside for medical attention and treatment.
Important settings and various establishments can never be complete without a medical center.
The University of Calabar was not left out, as they have built and renovated a very beautiful structure, which they set aside and called it A MEDICAL CENTER.
Oh, what a beautiful building, with hardworking medical personnel, but without drugs. A visit to the medical center will not only show, how irrelevant the students health is to school management, but will also explain how the school spends the money we pay inside our school charges for medical fees.
I was unfortunately sick and admitted into the center for treatment, my dear readers I tell you, that even the last thing and cheapest thing like needle, were prescribed for me to buy.
When I asked what happened to the money we pay for the medical fees, I was threatened to be discharged.
When I disclosed my identity to the personnel, they secretly informed me that they don’t have anything in the pharmacy, and if I want my illness to be treated, I ought to cooperate.
As a man who was in absolute pains, I had to obey. Few days ago, the SUG Vice President, Comrade Akpan Inemesit brought a female student in the middle of the night who was said to have massive and severe vomiting all day.
On opening the door of the medical center, the nurse on duty said, am sorry we don’t have any drugs in this place, else you have to go and buy.
I shouted, Buy what this midnight?
But because of the life if the girl which was at stake, she had to go out and get the drugs needed for her treatment.
This very action made me shocked and shows clearly that the school management does not care about the health of the students, and that UNICAL does not have a center that can administer first aid, not to talk of a functioning medical center.
The following day, when the Director if the center was contacted to speak on the emptiness of the medical facility, she said, “for six months now, we don’t have drugs. These are things the SUG should agitate for, if truly we have an SUG.” she concluded.
A very senior medical personnel in the center also added that it is a pity that students pay for things that they don’t see. He lamented the emptiness of the center.
Meanwhile a very reliable source, who also spoke in anonymity has alleged that the emptiness of the center is due to “the refusal of the Oga at the top to release money for drugs, even when the other Oga has approved.”
With this situation of things at the medical center, I weep for the health of Malabites and Malabresses who will not have money to buy the exorbitant prescribed drugs from dispensaries outside of campus for treatment, even in times of emergency.
And if this with holding of funds meant for vital and pressing issues in the school by the Oga at the top should continue for long, am foreseeing the August 2011 incident repeating itself again.
I hereby call on the Vice Chancellor to make HEIR WHILE THE SUN SHINES.
Raymond Ekemini is a CrossRiverWatch reporter and student of University of Calabar.
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