BENIN CITY-Some diabetes patients of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) experienced a set-back in the management of their health challenge following the breakdown of a glucometer (a small phone-like instrument for testing blood sugar level) at the General Practice Clinic (GPC) of the hospital in Benin City yesterday.
The patients most of whom were old men and women on doctors’ appointment arrived the hospital as early as 7am for their fasting blood sugar test, before proceeding to see doctors on duty with the result.
Investigation revealed that the diabetic patients having spent time on queue at the revenue unit to make payment of N1000 for the test became dejected when they were informed that the results of the fasting blood sugar level (FBS) which used to be obtained immediately would not be ready until three days time.
In their separate lamentations and disappointments, madam Ekhorose, 74 and Kenebi, 79 said waiting for three days to know the level of sugar in their blood and seeing a doctor when they are already experiencing increased frequency in urination is hellish and huge threat to them.
They said they travelled from outside Benin to UBTH for their regular check-ups noting that the issue of glucometer pack up was becoming a reoccurrence at the hospital.
They wondered why such federal hospital would parade just a single glucometer when efforts are being made by various governments to revamp the health sector in Nigeria
Further investigation revealed that the faulty glucometer at the hospital costs between N6,500 and N8, 000 as most of the diabetes patients have personal ones but the hospital does not accept test results from outside.
Commenting on the sad development the acting Public Relations Officer for UBTH Mr Orobosa Oviasuyi who immediately left his office to ascertain the position of things at the GPC when he was told said that the hospital has another glucometer donated recently to it by a company and wondered why the medical team at GPC did immediately start using it when the one they were using developed fault.
He however said a new glucometer had been made available to the clinic.
