How rejection at NASS Clinic puts lives of junior workers at risk

By Haruna Salami

The rejection of a patient simply identified as Abdul by the National Assembly Clinic on Wednesday morning was all that exposed the harrowing experience of some class of workers in the National Assembly, Abuja.

Abdul, a cleaner with Fulus Cleaners was busy mopping one of the toilets on the second floor, Senate Wing, New Building when he suddenly slipped and hit his head on ground. He was rushed to the clinic, but the medical officers asked whether he is a staff and whether he has National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) number.

A female senior staff of NASS who was obviously not happy with the development was seen calming some of the staff of the cleaning company, asking them to let their supervisor see the management of the clinic so that they will be treated henceforth.

One could see some Fulus Cleaners staff gathering in groups sobbing and lamenting their fate.

The cleaners in the National Assembly work for about 7 different companies. They come to work as early as 5 am to ensure everywhere is clean before work begins daily.

Some of the staff shared their experiences of how they were denied treatment any time the fail ill as the clinic say they have no file.

Information gathered revealed that there is a circular that if you are not a staff of the National Assembly, you should not be treated.

The journalists covering the two chambers of the National Assembly fall into this class of “none staff” who are not entitled to treatment at the clinic.

However, as pressure mounted on the clinic, the doctor quickly wrote a referral letter in respect of Abdul to National Hospital, TRAUMA Centre, Abuja.

Unfortunately, the patients being rejected are not only Nigerians, but low income Nigerians who need this medical service greatly.