BED SPACE SCARCITY AT MURTALA MUHAMMAD HOSPITAL IN KANO SPARKS CONCERNS

By Mohamed Fitr// In what should be a place of healing, many patients are enduring unimaginable hardships, including being forced to sleep on the cold, hard floor.
Patients at Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital in Kano are facing a dire situation as they struggle to access timely medical care due to an overwhelming shortage of bed spaces in the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Unit.
Malam Auwalu, a patient’s relative, shared his harrowing experience saying that my daughter, Maryam, was rushed to the hospital unconscious around 12:00 am.
There was no bed available for her. If I had the money, I would have taken her to a private clinic, but she had to be treated on an iron bench in the A&E unit.
It was heartbreaking to see her lying there, helpless.
Aisha, whose elderly grandmother, Hajiya Lami, was paralyzed and rushed to the A&E unit, said, we arrived at the emergency unit, only to be told there were no available beds.
My grandmother had to be treated while sitting in her wheelchair for several hours. It was a painful sight to witness.
Aisha went on to praise the doctors for their tireless efforts in providing care despite the overwhelming challenges posed by insufficient bed space.
A Persistent Problem with Overcrowding
patients at the A&, E unit have expressed frustration, feeling that they have no choice but to endure treatment in such conditions because the hospital is their only option.
The Murtala hospital A&E unit is our only hope for receiving immediate medical attention.
I would rather be treated on the floor than be turned away, one patient remarked.
Hospital’s Strain Under Growing Patient Load
In an interview with Kano Times, Dr. Hussaini Muhammad, the Chief Medical Director of Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, acknowledged the problem but explained the circumstances contributing to the overcrowding.
The hospital is one of the cheapest and most visited health centers in the state.
Many people think that every A&E unit should have a bed, but this is not necessarily the case.
The A&E serves as a temporary space for patients before they are moved to appropriate wards, such as orthopedic, medical, surgical, and ENT units, he clarified.
Dr. Hussaini further elaborated on the situation of our A&E unit can admit between 30 to 70 patients, and sometimes between 50 to 100 patients.
However, we only have 36 beds available. The volume of patients seeking treatment here far exceeds our capacity.
We need to upgrade the wards and increase manpower to meet the growing demand for services.
State Government’s Efforts to Improve Health Services
The government is aware of the strain on health services, and recent efforts have been made to address some of these challenges.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf presented a proposed budget of N549.16 billion for the 2025 fiscal year, with 16 percent (N90.6 billion) allocated to health.
The budget aims to address the gaps in medical services, including the recruitment of additional medical personnel and renovation of hospital facilities to ensure better care for the people of Kano State.
While these measures offer hope, the challenges faced by patients at Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need for comprehensive reforms in the state’s health sector.