Igbobi runs out of implants, discharges patients

Patients at the National Orthopedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos (NOHIL) who are due for surgery have been discharged due to lack of implants.The Guardian learnt that there are no patients on admission due to lack of implants, even as patients who required more than one implant received only one and are asked to leave the hospital.

Also, those booked for surgery are on hold due to the shortage of implants.A source whose elder sister was scheduled to undergo two hip surgeries, said her sister received only one implant and was asked to go as there were no implants in the hospital.

It was learnt that the implants are being imported and that an implant costs over N1.5 million depending on the type, but due to the high exchange rate , the hospital’s management could not afford to spend huge amount importing.

When The Guardian visited the hospital, only few patients were seen in the wards, although there was no access to get their comments.A source at the hospital said the management was not aware of the situation, but added that the shortage of implants could be as a result of the scarcity of foreign exchange, or that the hospital ran out of implants.

The source also said that the wellbeing of patients was the hospital’s topmost priority and that if any patient was denied any implant it might be that the case was not severe. He said that if the case was scarcity, the implants left would be used on that patient.The source added that the management would look into the issue by contacting the necessary departments to resolve it.