By Aminu Shehu
It is unfortunate that, despite Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s administration’s best efforts to correct all the injustices that hinder our system, the Abubakar Imam Urology Center’s medical system appears to be compromised when critically examined.
Through the provision of necessary supplies and medications at every hospital, we are all aware that the workaholic governor is giving it his all in every facet of human endeavor, the health sector inclusive.
The governor did not stop there, since the demands of the workforce, which included doctors and other workers, had been sufficiently met.
He takes all of these actions to ensure that patients and those caring for them throughout treatment receive the finest care possible.
But regrettably, the awful experience I had last week, which carried over into this week, was awful, unworthy, and really regrettable.
I am writing to His Excellency, Kano State Governor Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, about my awful experiences at the institution in the hopes that he will request a thorough inquiry so that it can be arrested.
I’m taking this action because I was unable to come up with a convincing explanation for what I perceived to be an abnormality and a violation of procedural ethics at work.
As a former patient of the Center who underwent numerous surgeries and treatments and is currently assisting a friend with their medical needs there, I have observed differences between what is occurring now and what used to occur.
It is standard procedure for us to see a senior urologist, and after four weeks of nonstop hospital visits, where we were referred to the Team A Clinic.
A prostate biopsy was suggested and encouraged when we visited the doctor, and the doctor provided a rough cost estimate of N31,500.
After that, the patient’s folder was sent to the Records Department, where we waited calmly for an official confirmation of the fee.
To our complete dismay, we were told that a senior physician and a consultant from a different team would now decide the pricing. We were then instructed to provide our phone numbers and to anticipate hearing from someone shortly.
But when the call came in, we became more confused as the caller announced an outrageous cost of One Hundred and Eighty Thousand Naira Only (N180,000) to us.
I started wondering how a doctor from another Team could intervene in or encroach into what does not concern him?
But the more we tried to find out the truth of the matter, the more we sank into more confusion as there was nobody to tell us why, but a few ‘silent’ voices from within and without claiming that there are moles within and are doing a lot of collateral damage to the Center’s system.
Is it that impunity is condoned, orchestrated or that the very high number of patients coming into the Center daily makes supervision a difficult task?
The authorities should intervene, act fast and rightly too as there’s no smoke without a fire. And I am ready to come and testify when invited.
One would want to see a rebirth of AIUC, an enactment of the glorious past- a disciplined and patients focused medical entity.
Lest we forget, AIUC is a giant, a role model and a pioneer in the spheres of urological expertise in Nigeria and beyond. I am proud to state that, during my medical engagements with the Center as a patient, years back.
As the Center could compete with some of the best Urology Hospitals in the world, but today, all these attributes are being challenged and threatened.
My friend’s situation may have turned out differently if it weren’t for the intervention of Dr. Atiku, a senior consultant physician who leads the Team A Clinic. He demanded that the proper course of action be taken, and it was.
On Tuesday, October 7, 2025, curtesy of Dr. Atiku, my friend, the patient, finally had his prostate biopsy done at the same Abubakar Imam Urology Center (AIUC), Kano, for a total of N29,500.
Aminu M. Shehu is of Citizens Free Service Forum-CFSF.
