The Medical Director, National Orthopedic Hospital Igbobi, Lagos (NOHIL), Dr Mustapha Alimi, has decried inadequate manpower at the hospital even as he disclosed plans to bridge the gap.

Alimi also canvassed for implementation of National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Act, especially at the primary healthcare level to stop out of pocket payments and offer free medical services. This, he believes, would help to achieve universal healthcare coverage in the country.

The medical director made these known in Lagos at the 78th anniversary celebration of the hospital, adding that the hospital is committed to training manpower in the health sector.

He said: “The major challenge the hospital has is lack of manpower and there is a need to address the challenge in order to reduce medical tourism in Nigeria.

“We have trained many healthcare workers, nurses, doctors, technicians among others, therefore, we are concerned about the development of human capital.”

He said the hospital started as a military rehabilitation camp for prisoners of war returning from World War II.

“After recognition by the colonial medical services in 1945, it became a medical establishment known as Igbobi Orthopaedic Hospital. In name, the hospital has undergone a metamorphosis from Igbobi hospital to Royal Orthopaedic Hospital and now National Orthopaedic Hospital.”

Alimi noted that the hospital, between 1945 and 1977, was at various times under the administration of the Federal Government and Lagos State government.

“It has, however, remained a Federal Government health institution since 1977 to date. The hospital could approve/recognise monotechnic for the study of prosthetics/orthotics.”

He disclosed that the hospital was the first to train plaster room technicians in Nigeria.

Alimi said the hospital’s training centre has now transformed into a school of orthopaedic cast technology and will soon be awarding National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) in cast technology as the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has approved the curriculum for the commencement of the programme.

He said: “The centre has trained prosthetics/orthotics manpower at the ND and level in Nigeria, as it is now known as the Federal College of Orthopaedic Technology (FECOT)”.

Alimi argued that the hospital was the first and the largest centre in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa for the management and rehabilitation of orthopedic, trauma and accident cases.

“The first solely orthopaedic residency training centre, which commenced in 1981 with 68 per cent of all consultants’ orthopaedic surgeons in the country, passed through this centre.
“Accommodated up to 450 patients in the early days, the sphere of influence of the hospital extended to other parts of West Africa and Angola. During the same period the hospital was a repository of materials and resources for students,” he said.

Alimi explained that the hospital has grown in leaps since it was specifically designed as a World Health Organisation (WHO) collaboration centre for research and training in 1979, and some of the services delivery areas now include trauma, burns and plastic surgery.

“Other therapeutic services including making of orthopaedic shoes, fitting of prostheses, artificial limbs, and support like fracture braces, spinal/cervical orthoses, provision of physiotherapy services and diagnostic services”.
“It is known for research and training of resident doctors, orthopaedic technology, plaster technicians, orthopaedic health assistant and diagnostic services”.

Former Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Wahab Inosa, said the hospital contributed to the development of healthcare services in Nigeria under his leadership.

He said under his leadership the hospital has trained many health experts in joint replacement.

“There is a need for more human development in different departments across other healthcare institutions in order to improve healthcare delivery generally,” Inosa said.