Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital upgrades over 200 staff in Enugu

The Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, says it has upgraded more than 200 staff who have additional and verified higher qualifications within the past four years.

The Medical Director of the Hospital, Prof. Monday Igwe, revealed this on Tuesday in Enugu in a press briefing debunking negative social media publications about the hospital recently.

Igwe said that the hospital’s management had placed staff welfare as its main focus, adding that in the past four years, there had been cordial working relationships with labour unions as all staff entitlements are promptly addressed.

According to him, this is more than all staff who got such privileges between 1995 and 2019; before this recent management came in.

He noted that the current management had not engaged in any sectionalism, nepotism or favouritism, as it always carried along the labour leaders and administrative departmental heads in such activities and others.

On false social media publications about the hospital, Igwe said the publications were mere imaginations without basis and might have arisen out of “hallucinatory experiences of the sponsors” who were bent on occupying positions they were not qualified for.

He said: “It started following a letter from the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) dated April 26, 2023 (a copy is made available).

“The letter suspended regulatory activities in our school on the basis of appointment of new headship of the School of Post Basic Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing without compliance with the Council regulations for appointment of Head of Nursing Training Institutions in Nigeria.

“There was never a time the school was shut down by the Medical Director as portrayed in the social media publications; hence, there could not have arisen the issue of directives from the Federal Ministry of Health to reopen the school.

“The school has full accreditation to train 50 Psychiatric Nurses per session that runs for 18 months. The School cannot admit beyond her quota and one wonders where the said 700 students in the fictitious reports emanated from.”

He explained that the issue of suspension of regulatory activities by the NMCN is already being addressed quickly by the management so that students who were due to write examinations in November could do so.

The medical director said that the management was working hard to sort out all pending issues so that the embargo could be lifted.

“Resolutions were taken in a meeting between officials of the Federal Ministry of Health, Registrar of NMCN and Medical Director aimed at addressing issues related to the suspension of activities of NMCN in our school. A copy of this is available for viewing.”

Igwe said that under his watch, the day-to-day running of the hospital had followed strictly Public Service Rules (PSR) and Financial Regulations (FR) as set out by the Federal Government and supervisory agencies.

He said that all employment made were monitored by the Federal Ministry of Health, Office of Head of Service of the Federation, Federal Character Commission and Board of Management of the hospital.

Igwe said: “The Medical Director ensures that due process is strictly followed in both employment and contract awards. The records are there for anyone to verify.

“Approvals for leave of absence and study leave in the past four years are considered and approved during Board of Management meetings. Every case has always been treated strictly according to public service rules without recourse to sentiments.”