July 01, (THEWILL) — The Chief Medical Director of Alex Ekweme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki (A.E FUTHA), Professor Robinson Onoh, has disclosed that the hospital is working towards bringing up a vaccine that would be used to prevent people from coming down with Lassa Fever.
Prof. Onoh stated this on Monday during an interview in his office.
He further said the hospital has made tremendous achievements in critical health areas, including successful Invitro Fertilisation (IVF) delivery of triplets, accreditation of NEMSA to provide first 48-hour access health care service to patients with six neurosurgeons working in the hospital.
He added that A.E FUTHA is the only medical institution in the country with a vaccine centre for vaccine trial, while declaring that his target was to make the hospital a home for medical tourism and a centre of excellence in order to reverse medical tourism in Nigeria.
He recalled the harrowing experience of the institution during the outbreak of Lassa Fever, and said that the institution has the only centre where vaccine trial will be done in this country “Because of our location and because of the things that we have also passed through, our centre is a research centre.
“This is one place where Lassa Fever research is being done. Nigeria has not been involved in any vaccine trial, but for the first time, this centre is one of the centres where vaccine trial will be done in this country.
According to him, A.E . FUTHA is partnering some other institutions to bring up the vaccine. “So we are partnering with CEPI and all the other partners, IV, IRV, MACRO, all towards bringing up a vaccine that will be used to prevent people from coming down with Lassa Fever. And to the glory of God, this is the only centre where they are also building a structure for that vaccine trial.
“Other places are renovations. But here they started a foundation for a three-story building. And with this, we are working towards having a live partnership with those of our foreign partners, CEPI and all the other group.
He further disclosed that A.E. FUTHA was the first medical institution in the Southeast to make breakthrough in Invitro Fertilisation (IVF).
“I think it is the first in Southeast Nigeria that is offering IVF to our teeming patients. And just not long ago, I think it was on 3rd of June, we had the delivery of our first IVF procedures. It was a delivery of a triplet, two males and a female, that was delivered in this hospital. And it was well-celebrated because we have to, you know, only two weeks, get the world to know about this achievement.
“We’ve had more deliveries from this IVF unit. We have twin deliveries, we have singleton deliveries as well from this IVF. And our first batch of the IVF, we had the highest percentage success rates. We have 70% success rates.
“Currently, we are in the fifth phase and it’s something that is ongoing and it’s something that’s affordable and available. So we call on Nigerians to come and access our IVF unit because we have one of the best equipment for it.
“Our ICSI machine is one of the best in the country. Our incubator is one of the best in the country. Likewise, other supporting equipment that we have. There are equipments that when you have good hands, use those equipments, you are most likely going to get a good outcome.
Professor Robinson Onoh also disclosed why people thronged the hospital for dialysis. “Our dialysis centre is one of the best in the country. We have about eight dialysis machines working in this hospital. And patients from outside the state trace their way down to this place because we have a reverse osmolysis system, an arrow system that is in two ways, at pre-treatment and treatment section before you now get the purified water that we use for dialysis.
“So when you have dialysis done here, it will be like a renewed life for you. And that’s why those who have come here for dialysis, don’t leave. And those who hear about what we do in dialysis come from everywhere to have them dialysed here. And that’s why we’ve said that we want to turn this place as a hub for medical tourism so that people within and outside Nigeria can come and access healthcare here”, he said.
The Chief Medical Director further thanked the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru and Wife, Mary-Maudline Uzoamaka Nwifuru, for providing the needed facilities to enable A. E . FUTHA function optimally and for paying medical bills to indigent patients.
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