Students decry lack of drugs in their institution’s health centres

Nigerian undergraduates have condemned lack of drugs in their various institutions’ health centres, saying they rely on chemists and roadside drug hawkers for their healthcare services.

Recent checks by The Guardian on the state of health clinics in higher institutions situated in Lagos, following the death of a Part III student of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, Kayode Omotola, revealed a lot of gaps and cracks in the system, when compared to health centres in developed climes.

The OAU management and students of the institution earlier disagreed on the circumstances surrounding the death of the student, who reportedly slumped during a football match. Some students of the school alleged that poor services at the institution’s health centre led to the student’s death.

However, some of the health centres visited by The Guardian appealed to the eyes while some were an eyesore. But they all have a unifying factor, which is lack of drugs, inconsistency in services and complicated administrative procedures.

At the University of Lagos (UNILAG) medical centre, a student, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, alleged that the centre hardly have drugs in their pharmacy. “There drugs were never complete, it is either they give you one and ask you to go and get the rest outside the campus. I think their services are okay, just this no drug issue.”

Also at Lagos State University (LASU), a 200-Level student of the school (names withheld), lamented that the clinic could not afford an eye drop after paying a health bill of N10,000.

“They should have enough drugs, after all we paid N10,000 health bill in our school fees. This is the second time I am coming here. They only prescribed drugs and asked me to go and get them outside.”

Another student said: “I have toilet infection and the doctor prescribed Amoxicillin, Mycoten cream and Flagyl. I went to the pharmacy but they gave me only Amoxicillin and asked me to get the rest outside the campus.”

Besides, a student at Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED), Ijanikin, Lagos, said: “They don’t always have complete drugs for our ailment. When they prescribe drugs, you go outside and get them.”