The University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) has unveiled its new, ultra-modern, state-of-the-art Emergency Unit, capable of handling all types of emergencies.

The Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC) of the hospital, Dr Innocent Abang, asserted on Friday during a facility tour by journalists, highlighting some innovations and renovations in the hospital that were championed by the Chief Medical Director (CMD), Dr Ikpeme Ikpeme.

The CMAC stated that the new emergency unit was designed to handle a wide range of emergencies, including medical, surgical, obstetric, gynaecological, and paediatric care, all in one location with the necessary equipment.

“We have acquired a 1.5 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine that is fully functional; only a few hospitals in Nigeria can boast of this; so, imaging services on the MRI are done easily and efficiently.

“You can also see our new Intensive Care Unit (ICU), which is state-of-the-art, with almost all the machines automated, while in obstetrics and gynaecology, we are now doing minimally invasive procedures, including laparoscopic appendectomies.

“We have enhanced orthopaedic services as we now repair anterior cruciate ligaments and also carry out arthroplasty. There is also knee and hip replacements, and we are working toward shoulder replacements as well,” he said.

Speaking further, he said that in the past, there were numerous complaints regarding overcrowding, “but this is now a thing of the past, as we now work strictly by timed appointments.”

He noted that previously, people would walk in without understanding the process, but now, appointments are required because, as a tertiary hospital, patients must be scheduled to see specialists. This has improved service and curbed overcrowding.

He stated that, as a hospital, they were also implementing an attitudinal change among staff through regular seminars, professional ethics training, and awareness of the legal consequences of negligence. Additionally, SERVICOM contacts are located at various sites to facilitate the receipt of complaints.

“On power supply, we currently run on solar energy, a Federal Government initiative that provides 24-hour electricity, and in split seconds after an outage, power is restored.

“We have closely followed the CMD’s mission, and if you had visited this place about six years ago and you are here today, you will notice remarkable changes because whenever patients and staff buy into a vision, it is easier to achieve,” he maintained.

On her part, the UCTH Librarian, Dr Kikayo Ayanlade, said that with the help of the CMD, the hospital’s medical library has been upgraded from a normal library to a fully functional e-library, which contains over 75 million e-books and is used for different Computer Based Tests (CBT).

According to her, the new library, which is registered in all major medical databases and journals across various fields of medicine for different research purposes, features a reference room, reprographic room, and a relaxation centre for readers.

Similarly, the journalists were taken to the Department of Family Medicine by the Head of Department, Dr Udeme Asibong, who showcased the renovation works that have taken place and the ongoing work in its other section.

“A lot of work has been done here, right from the new bullet-proof front door to the pay point with the air conditioners and Internet services all to make the patients more comfortable,” Asibong noted.