Prof. Ahmed Ahidjo, Chief Medical Director (CMD), University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), has advocated collaborative support for the hospital to enhance quality healthcare delivery in the North-east.
Ahidjo made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Maiduguri.
He said that the call was imperative to address challenges posed by the Boko Haram insurgency, demystify its operations and enhance healthcare service delivery to persons affected by the insurgency in the region.
The CMD noted that the hospital deserved support from all levels of government, individuals, development and corporate organisations, to enable it meet the challenges posed by the insurgency and growing population.
“I am calling on good people of Borno and organisations to support the hospital to demystify and enhance its operations.
“Many health personnel left and there is high influx of population into Maiduguri due to Boko Haram insurgency, the trend overstretches our capacity to meet the specialised health needs of the growing population.
“We need support to improve the personnel and their skills; initiate new programmes and upgrade existing facilities, to provide quality healthcare services in the northeast,” he said.
According to him, the management has initiated viable projects to upgrade the hospital bed-capacity and facilities, staff capacity development and improvement of personnel welfare.
Ahidjo disclosed that the hospital had embarked on construction of ultra modern trauma centre to address medical complications and health needs of persons affected by the conflict in the region.
He explained that the centre was designed with about 150-bed capacity comprising Accident and Emergency (AE) unit, surgery, orthopedics, obstetrics and gynecology, among others
The CMD also said that arrangement had reached advance stage for the construction of a 150-bed capacity child institute to enhance pediatric healthcare services, as well as plans on to upgrade its kidney centre to a 200-bed capacity.
“In view of the ageing population and increased incidents of struck in the society, we also planned to build a new 150-bed capacity struck centre, to cater for geriatric’ patients.”.
He said the hospital management have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for the construction of a Physical Rehabilitation Centre.
According to him, the effort is to enhance support services to persons with disability.
Apart from rehabilitation and medical services, the centre will also produce orthopedic devices to support patients.
Ahdijo revealed further that the Presidential Committee on Northeast Initiative (PCNI) would also construct a burn centre to cater for the victims of insurgency suffering from fire burn.
He explained that the two projects were expected to commence in May, adding that they were in line with plans to upgrade the hospital’s bed-capacity from 650 to over 1, 000.
The CMD commended the Federal and Borno State Governments, PCNI and ICRC for their supports to the hospital.
NAN reports that the hospital was inaugurated on July 23, 1983 by late President Shehu Shagari, as the pioneer teaching hospital in the North-east.
The 650-bed capacity hospital has over 3, 000 members of staff, including 200 specialist doctors, 400 physicians, 800 nurses and other cadre of staff.
It also operates outreach centres at Madagali, Banki, Postikum and Federal Secretariat, Maiduguri. (NAN)
