· Indians quit, scavengers take over
By Sarah NEGEDU
The imposing building stands desolate. Several sections of the fence have caved in. It is now a thoroughfare and a games centre for skaters and the likes.
This is now the fate of a section of the multibillion Naira Karu General Hospital that was on a controversial lease to Indians that operated the Primus Specialty Hospital.
The genesis
In 2011, the Federal Capital Territory Administration under Minister Adamu Aliero and signed off by Minister Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed after investing a princely N3.8 billion in building and equipping the Karu General Hospital controversially entered a 15 year lease agreement with Primus Health Care Nigeria Limited.
The angst at that time was that the 250-bed complex was signed off for N600 million for 15 years.
So it was that Primus Specialty Hospital commenced operations in April 2011 on a skewed Public Private Partnership, PPP, agreement with the FCT Administration.
Though the FCT Administration at the time did not make public details of the concession arrangement, The Abuja Inquirer was however able to gather that 40 percent of the medical facility billed as the Karu General Hospital was given to Indian partners.
According to available information, the contract for the hospital, which included equipping, was awarded to Messrs H & S Nigeria Limited and Vamed Nigeria Limited, at an initial cost of N1.6 billion each, respectively but was later reviewed upward to N1.9 billion each, for unverifiable and unforeseen challenges faced by the contractors.
With the hospital including staff quarters 97percent completed, the Aliero administration decided to gift the hospital built for public use by Nigerians at affordable rate to his Indian partners for an annual fee of N40million.
Most industry watchers described it as “daily light robbery!”
Primus Specialty Hospital
The Indian hospital, Primus Specialty Hospital, is credited by the India High Commission as “Nigeria’s first Super Specialty Hospital.”
Findings revealed that both Aliero and his successor, Senator Bala Mohammed, had very close ties with Mrs. Achla Dewan, owner of Primus Specialty Hospital, with the latter being a guest of the Dewans at the wedding ceremony of their son in October 2011.
Speaking on his visit to Mrs. Dewan then, Mohammed, now Governor of Bauchi State, said: “My visit to India is symbolic and I am here to express support and encouragement to an Indian woman who brought investment in the healthcare sector in Abuja which I represent as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“Mrs. Dewan the Chairperson of Primus Hospital has tremendous faith and confidence in Nigeria, thus it became my duty and responsibility to support her in the Project Primus, Nigeria.”
He stated that “the project of Mrs. Dewan was in the interest of the Presidency and of the Federal Capital Territory.
“With the permission of the President Goodluck Jonathan, Primus started the hospital project in Nigeria. My presence in the marriage ceremony is to support the people of quality, people who can add value to life, and people who create bridges across.”
The then Secretary, FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat, Dr Demola Onakomaiya, had at the time disclosed that the lease was at an annual fee of N40million, with five year review terms.
Speaking further on why part of the hospital was leased out, the secretary said, “the leasing agreement with Primus Health Care Nigeria Limited was necessary to stem the migration of Nigerians requiring specialised medical care to India, reduce capital flight from the country due to frequent travelling abroad for specialised medical treatment and help he FCT develop its specialised care with time, reduce risk and cost of travelling abroad for treatment on the populace”.
Cost was overboard
While the FCTA claims the aim of the concession was to reduce cost and stem capital flight, a point echoed by the chairperson of the hospital, our investigation revealed that fees charged at the hospital were rather beyond the reach of most Nigerians.
Dewan was quoted as saying: “Till now the people of Nigeria were going to other parts of the world for the treatments and for even smaller ailments which were adding to their vows along with illness both financially and mentally.
“Financial burden was too much because of cost incurred in treatment, boarding, lodging and opportunity cost, this in turn also leads to a huge foreign exchange loss by the country.
“In order to make the medical services better in the country, Primus has opened up this specialized surgical center to cater to the patients of not only Nigeria but the whole West Africa.”
But the reality on ground indicated otherwise.
There is the case of a certain Baby Catherine, 5years old, who had a growth on the side of her stomach and was taken to the hospital on August 8, 2011 and admitted by Dr. Balkar Singh, after the necessary consultation fee had being paid.
After referral to the lab where her parents paid N25, 000, another N175, 000 was paid for CT Scan, when the hospital rejected one conducted by ECHO Scan for N60, 000.
Ghost hospital
The Abuja Inquirer realized in January that Primus management had vacated the premises over disagreement of renewal with the FCT Administration.
What the disagreement was our correspondent could not ascertain as neither parties would not say. However, a source said it was due to lease renewal and Primus had their own facility.
At the entrance of the gate which was half open, there are court summons and an order of a tenement tribunal ordering the hospital to pay over N14 million in accumulated ground rents.
The whole complex is overgrown with weeds while the telltale signs of vandals at work could be seen.
FCTA mum
When The Abuja Inquirer reached out to the FCT Health and Environment Secretariat to find out the current state of affairs at the hospital, we were told to await the outcome of a ministerial committee recently set up to look into all concessions in FCTA hospitals.
While the administration dithers, the little that is left of the multibillion hospital complex could be lost if efforts are not made to secure it
