Tricia Iwuoha and Christian Nwokocha
Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Umunna appears to be on the part of making history for the first time since after its establishment in 2004, following the speedy attention given to it by the government of Imo State and the determination of the incumbent Chief Medical Director, Dr Ifeanyi Nwamba who assumed the headship of the medical institution in November 2020.
The renowned Chief Medical Director, who was hired from the United Kingdom by the Governor of Imo State Senator Hope Uzodimma to clean up the perceived accumulated mess ranging from years of inefficient administration and the institution’s inability to render even a primary healthcare service. The success stories are primarily linked to his desire to be a working director with no leisure time.
Prior to the emergence of the incumbent Chief Medical Director, the institution could not graduate its students over eleven years and had the penchant of conducting her laboratory examinations with kerosene lamps. This was against the essence of establishing the teaching hospital which was to train medical students, training of doctors in residency programmes, involvement in research and medical innovations and a referral centre, but unfortunately, these objectives did not materialise since about eighteen years ago.
“A Teaching hospital should be a center of excellence where you do not only treat diseases, but also study diseases. But what I met on ground when I assumed office is far from meetiing these enumerated conditions. The situation was better seen and experienced than heard or said. But with the encouragement from His Excellency Senator Hope Uzodimma which consists of both lending a listening ear and funding has changed the fortunes of the teaching hospital”, said the Chief Medical Director Dr Ifeanyi Nwamba.
Speaking with the LUSH team, Dr Ifeanyi Nwamba said that on assumption of office, the doctors and other staffers were on strike. The frightening situation he said did not deter him from developing a road map for the survival of the teaching hospital.
“Mapping out the survival strategies, the governor tried to fix access roads to the teaching hospital and promised that the teaching hospital would be one of the best teaching hospitals in Nigeria. We started with renovations and rehabilitations. Some medical facilities have not been serviced since 2004, when the teaching hospital was established. The governor embarked on asphalting the teaching hospital premises. So the premises are better now. The new digital X-ray machines are working perfectly well. Other hospitals across Imo State now refer their patients to the teaching hospital.
On the resolution of strike action
Dr Nwamba said, “Before I came into the matter, a lot of people participated in trying to find a solution to the problem and they failed. So the governor told me to look into the situation and find a way forward which I did. I thank God that through pragmatic and diplomatic approach, I was able to resolve issues that made doctors stay away from the hospital now consultants and all staff of the teaching hospital are back again, working. We guaranteed continued payment of salaries and necessary allowances. I can tell you today that the staff receives their salaries every month. We have this synergy and work in perfect harmony that I don’t see strike an issue again in this institution. There’s a deal between me, medical doctors, consultants and other staff of the medical institution that there will be no staff strike for two years and beyond”.
On the issues of accreditation and graduation
Dr Nwamba said, “Accreditation is a very important thing and there are two types of accreditation, one is the Nigerian University Commission (NUC) and the other is the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria. When you are working and doing everything required of you by law, NUC will back you and get you accredited. We have been assessed by NUC and I’m liaising with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria on an eventual date within the year when they will come for accreditation so we are hopeful that before the year runs out the teaching hospital with the college of nursing will be fully accredited both with the Nigerian University Commission and Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria”.
According to him, since he assumed office in November 2020, he has graduated two batches of 75 medical students who have been on the waiting list for more than eleven years. “The governor tasked me and the VC to make sure that students graduate as at when due and in June 2021 and December 2021, we graduated two batches of students” he said.
On the use of moribund equipment
The Chief Medical Director said, “The governor has upgraded the facility with modern medical equipment to enhance its capacity. We have acquired new X-ray digital machines, mammogram machine, ambulances and dialysis machines. Others include; Molecular Biology and Chemical Pathology Laboratory equipment to test for COVID-19 and other viral disease tests and Anesthetic machines. Also the governor donated 100 new beds to the Pediatric Unit of the hospital and staff would continue to undergo training and retraining for the purposes of manning the new equipment”.
On his challenges
He said, “The first one is the insecurity everywhere then the internal challenge which was mainly on changing the psychology of low morale of the staff. They got used to the non-functional system and to bring them back to normal is tasking. I have tried to work on that and they have pleaded for me to be very patient with them. Their morale is gradually coming back to normal.
Dr Ifeanyi Nwamba had his early university education in Europe in the 80s. His school then was University of Rome “La Sapienza”, School of Medicine where he obtained the qualification of MD in Medicine. He was fortunate to be offered admission for residency programme in General Surgery immediately after his graduation.
Subsequently, he became a Consultant Surgeon in 1997 with special interest in colorectal surgery and had his first engagement with University of Rome Teaching Hospital. While in Rome, he obtained another Masters Degree in Robotic Surgery. He later worked with other hospitals in Rome before being engaged by the Royal Free Hospital London, UK where he was found by Senator Hope Uzodimma and an invitation was extended to him with a view to remodel Imo State Teaching Hospital.
