From Umar Danladi Ado, Sokoto
The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Specialist Hospital, Sokoto, Dr. Attahiru Isa Sokoto, has dismissed allegations that doctors were absent from the hospital’s Outpatient Department (OPD), describing the claims as false and misleading.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the CMD said the hospital management had been alerted to a viral post by one Junaidu Abdullahi, who alleged that no doctor was available to attend to patients at the OPD as of 9:16 a.m.
The CMD, however, insisted that medical personnel were on duty at the time, attending to patients, handling emergencies and conducting ward rounds in line with established hospital procedures.
“We wish to state in clear terms that the said allegation is false, misleading and a gross misrepresentation of the reality on ground,” the statement said.
The management explained that the OPD attends to hundreds of patients daily, noting that the high number of patients could sometimes result in minor delays.
It maintained that such delays should not be interpreted as the absence of doctors or abandonment of patients.
The CMD also highlighted what he described as significant improvements at the hospital under the administration of Governor Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto.
According to the statement, the state government has invested in infrastructure, renovated dilapidated facilities and provided modern medical equipment to improve the hospital’s 24-hour operations.
The management further said the administration had recruited qualified medical professionals and prioritised staff training and retraining, both within Nigeria and abroad.
It urged members of the public to refrain from spreading unverified information that could cause panic or undermine the morale of medical personnel.
The statement reaffirmed the hospital’s commitment to protecting lives and providing efficient healthcare services to residents of Sokoto State and beyond.
The management also called on the public to support its efforts by promoting responsible information sharing and reporting concerns through appropriate channels.
