The Chief Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Dr James Omietimi, has lamented that the “Japa” syndrome has severely affected the hospital.

He also disclosed that the hospital is yet to receive any tangible support from the state government, even though most of the elites in the state access medical care there, reports Newsmen.
Omietimi, who spoke when members of the Federated Correspondents’ Chapel of the NUJ, Bayelsa State, visited the hospital over the weekend, said the shortage of personnel due to the “japa” syndrome is obvious.

According to him, the federal government should allow the hospital to employ replacements for doctors, nurses, lab scientists and physiotherapists, among others, who have left in search of greener pastures.

“Another challenge that is not limited to us is the japa syndrome. It is a major problem. The bulk of the people who are leaving are the clinical people who render clinical services. Doctors, nurses, pharmacists, lab scientists, physiotherapists.

“They are leaving in droves daily. The departments are grossly understaffed. People that are working are overworked. In my department, we have only one registrar, a department that we used to have like 15 registrars. Surgery is the same thing. Paediatrics, we have one. Medicine, we have one. The younger doctors are leaving the country in droves. That is a major problem, and we need to replace them, and for us to replace them, we need the permission of the federal government before we can replace them. “Manpower shortage is a major problem. The government has put machinery in place for us to replace them, but we have not gotten the final clearance.”
On how to solve the “japa” syndrome, he stated that though people tend to move when they believe there are better opportunities for greener pastures, the government should address issues of inadequate remuneration, and lack of infrastructure and equipment to motivate medical personnel.

Speaking on the lack of support from the state government, Omietimi pleaded with the state government under Senator Douye Diri to open doors for partnership with the hospital and not wait until there is a major problem.

While assuring residents of Bayelsa of better services at the hospital, he implored women looking for babies to come for IVF at the hospital, disclosing that the hospital now provides the service at a cheaper rate.
“For now, we are not getting support from the state government, but we are friends to the state. The majority of the people who come here are from the state, so that is part of the discussion we intend to hold going forward. The state can support us in other areas. The state has supported us in the past, and I believe they will still support us. The state government will help because their very senior state functionaries and citizens come to this hospital to access care.

“Funding is a major problem. It is not limited to us. Most of the equipment we use in government hospitals, like the consumables, a lot of them are imported. We need a lot of money to purchase things that we use here.”