Anyone Found Guilty Should Face the Law’
By Segun Doyin, Lagos
The management of General Hospital, Umaisha, in Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, has appealed to stakeholders to establish the facts surrounding allegations of missing or diverted hospital equipment before assigning blame to members of staff.
The appeal followed a viral video involving Hon. Ibrahim Abdullahi Sa’ad, the member representing Umaisha/Ugya Constituency in the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, during a medical outreach at the hospital.
The management said the controversy had the potential to damage the reputation of healthcare workers who serve the Umaisha community under challenging conditions.
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Hospital Gives Its Account
In a statement titled “The Other Side of the Umaisha General Hospital Story: Setting the Record Straight,” the management said the donated equipment included 10 mattresses, approximately 32 standing and ceiling fans and solar lighting equipment.
It said the items were received by the facility, with some installed and others kept in storage for subsequent deployment.
The hospital further stated that it has photographs and inventory records relating to the donation.
According to the management, some of the equipment was distributed among different parts of the facility, including wards, staff accommodation and the hospital store.
Management Says Allegations Should Be Evidence-Based
The hospital management said accountability was important but insisted that allegations of theft or diversion should be supported by evidence.
It posed several questions that it believes an investigation should answer: whether the items were received, whether they were documented, where they were deployed, whether the remaining items were accounted for and whether there was evidence that any staff member stole or sold the donated property.
The management said the answers should come from records, physical verification and statements from relevant personnel.
Calls for Fair Investigation
The hospital welcomed any investigation ordered by the government, provided it is conducted independently and transparently.
It recommended examination of inventory documents, photographs, store records, ward records and the distribution of the donated items.
The management said the investigation should not be aimed at shielding anyone who may have committed wrongdoing.
At the same time, it said innocent workers should not be punished or publicly condemned on the basis of an incomplete assessment.
‘Anyone Found Guilty Should Face the Law’
The management stressed that no individual should be above the law.
It maintained that if an investigation establishes that any person stole, sold or diverted public property, the person should face the appropriate legal consequences regardless of status.
However, it urged stakeholders to allow investigators to establish the facts before drawing conclusions.
The management concluded that the people of Umaisha deserve quality healthcare services, while the healthcare professionals serving the community deserve an environment where accountability and fairness can coexist.
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