The management of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) has returned over N1 billion to the Federal Government representing unpaid salaries of staff members who are no longer with the hospital to seek greener pastures abroad.
The money was returned from the 2024 budget of the UUTH. Narrating the crushing effects of Japa on the teaching hospital, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of UUTH, Prof. Emem Bassey, said the nation’s teaching hospitals might lose their qualified medical staff to Japa if the Federal Government failed to address the situation.
Prof. Bassey spoke in Abuja yesterday while defending the budget of the UUTH before the House of Representatives committee on tertiary health institutions.
He said: “For 2024, our total capital appropriation was N20,617,154,692.56, broken down into personnel costs of N12,874,350,949.56, the overhead of N240,186,681.00 (about N20 million monthly); and capital expenses of N7, 502,617,062.00. Personnel releases totalled N11,818,316,556.72, leaving a balance of N1,056,034,392.80, which was mopped up by December 31 due to unfulfilled recruitment.”
Bassey disclosed that UUTH achieved a 99 per cent release of overhead funds, but faced delays in implementing a radio diagnostics centre project due to delay by the Federal Executive Council.
The CMD added that the UUTH has a proposed budget of N19. 93 billion for overhead costs and N21 billion for capital for the 2025 fiscal year. (Guardian)
