The Chief Medical Director of
the Taraba state Specialist Hospital, Jalingo, Professor Zakari Aliyu, has said
that an initial refusal of Acting Governor Garba Umar to approve and release
the sum of N200 million needed for the treatment of ailing Governor Danbaba
Danfulani Suntai abroad made the latter’s wife Hauwa to weep.
the Taraba state Specialist Hospital, Jalingo, Professor Zakari Aliyu, has said
that an initial refusal of Acting Governor Garba Umar to approve and release
the sum of N200 million needed for the treatment of ailing Governor Danbaba
Danfulani Suntai abroad made the latter’s wife Hauwa to weep.
Suntai had suffered serious
injuries when a helicopter he was piloting crashed in a village near Yola,
Adamawa state, last October.
injuries when a helicopter he was piloting crashed in a village near Yola,
Adamawa state, last October.
Aliyu told an ad-hoc committee,
constituted by the state House of Assembly over an interview he granted theDaily
Trust on the health condition
of Suntai recently, that he had sent a memo to the acting governor, who
promised to get in touch with Suntai’s wife, adding that he later confirmed, a
few days before he disclosed the health condition of Suntai, that nothing had
changed two months after.
constituted by the state House of Assembly over an interview he granted theDaily
Trust on the health condition
of Suntai recently, that he had sent a memo to the acting governor, who
promised to get in touch with Suntai’s wife, adding that he later confirmed, a
few days before he disclosed the health condition of Suntai, that nothing had
changed two months after.
Based on the CMD’s testimony
before the House of Assembly, it was believed in political circles in the state
that the acting governor had initially baulked at the release of the needed
funds for the transfer of Suntai from Germany to a better hospital in the
United States.
before the House of Assembly, it was believed in political circles in the state
that the acting governor had initially baulked at the release of the needed
funds for the transfer of Suntai from Germany to a better hospital in the
United States.
Aliyu said that it was out of
desperation to save Suntai that he granted the interview, adding that when he
visited the ailing governor in December 2012, the condition in which he saw him
was not encouraging.
desperation to save Suntai that he granted the interview, adding that when he
visited the ailing governor in December 2012, the condition in which he saw him
was not encouraging.
According to him, “On my return
from Germany, where I visited Governor Suntai, I wrote a memo to the acting
governor, with suggestions that were not implemented. The first memo lasted for
about a month unattended to and the reminder also lasted for another one month
before I decided to go to the media.”
from Germany, where I visited Governor Suntai, I wrote a memo to the acting
governor, with suggestions that were not implemented. The first memo lasted for
about a month unattended to and the reminder also lasted for another one month
before I decided to go to the media.”
In response to a question on
whether the media option paid off, Aliyu said after his newspaper interview,
Suntai was finally moved to the U.S., a move he had recommended three months
earlier.
whether the media option paid off, Aliyu said after his newspaper interview,
Suntai was finally moved to the U.S., a move he had recommended three months
earlier.
Under cross-examination by
counsel to the committee, Mr. Hosea Ibi, the doctor said what he released to
the media was just a fraction of the horrible condition he saw Suntai in, which
gave him a cause for concern.
counsel to the committee, Mr. Hosea Ibi, the doctor said what he released to
the media was just a fraction of the horrible condition he saw Suntai in, which
gave him a cause for concern.
He said as a physician, he had
attended to Suntai as well as supervised the governor’s personal physicians in
his capacity as his consultant physician.
attended to Suntai as well as supervised the governor’s personal physicians in
his capacity as his consultant physician.
He said: “I have been treating
Governor Suntai of three chronic ailments for the past five years, and when he
collapsed some time in 2009, I was the person called upon to revive him, and
when he crashed, I was part of the medical team that evacuated him.”
Governor Suntai of three chronic ailments for the past five years, and when he
collapsed some time in 2009, I was the person called upon to revive him, and
when he crashed, I was part of the medical team that evacuated him.”
Source: Blueprint
