UCH takes delivery of N100m laboratory equipment

• Nigerian patients no longer need to travel overseas for diagnostic tests, says Alonge

The management of Nigeria’s premier University and teaching Hospital, University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan, Oyo State, has taken delivery of an ultra-modern laboratory unit.

Chief Medical Director (CMD), University College Hospital, Prof. Temitope Alonge, said with the installation of the state-of-the-art laboratory unit, Nigerian patients no longer need to travel overseas for diagnostic tests.

The CMD said this during his address at the ‘Hospital-Wide Grand Round’ programme organised for medical practitioners and private partners on ways to expand medical diagnosis to encourage Nigerians who do not have confidence in the quality of medical services here, to believe they can get such quality services at the UCH.

The laboratory unit which is capable of diagnosing so many ailments, was supplied by Nigeria’s no 1, hospital equipment suppliers, Roche.

Alonge while delivering a lecture titled “Advanced Laboratory Services in Healthcare Delivery” held at the Emeritus Professor Theophilus Ogunlesi Multipurpose Hall, South Campus of the institution, said that through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement, which the hospital embarked upon, Fidelity Bank had assisted the institution with N190m in two tranches which had been used in procuring several laboratory equipment.

Alonge further explained: “With the laboratory units, we have been providing rapid response to emergency for those scheduled for emergency surgery, dialysis and the like.

“This is intended to get rid of delays in the routine process in medical services, and basically to save lives. We approached Fidelity Bank on this proposal and a sum of N90m was given us as a support. Within three years, we were able to generate N307m despite interruptions. We had an expansion because many patients were being referred to laboratories outside Ibadan.

“We, therefore, made another proposal to the Fidelity Bank and they recently gave us another N100m with which we have expanded our laboratory to accommodate test of many viruses. We decided to put in this programme to access more experts. And we are charging same amount as other laboratories outside.”

Alonge promised to procure a brand new vehicle in the next one week to move the hospital laboratory round the town to meet with clients and organisations so that instantaneous electronic results would be delivered. He also promised 10per cent rebate for clients that patronize UCH, urging them to “Stop running to Sokoto State for what you can find in your sokoto (trousers).”

Among the Speakers at the partnership programme were Professor J.A. Otegbayo (expert in Medicine and Consultant Gastroenterokogist), Dr. Olukemi
Adekanmbi (Consultant Physician and Infectious Disease expert) Dr. M. Kuti (Consultant Laboratory Scientist and Laboratory Manager), and Mrs. Olufisayo Famuyiwa (the Chief Medical Laboratory Scientist and Laboratory Manager), as well as representatives of the Fidelity Bank including Messrs Adeyemi Adebola (Head), and Afolabi Suleiman (Branch Leader in Ibadan).

Deputy Director, Mr. Felix Ofongwu, and Head Products Marketing Department, Mrs. Debby Lawson, represented Roche (ISN) at the occasion.

According to Famuyiwa, the UCH laboratory has the following competitive advantage over others, including: Quick turn around time (TAT), affordable pricing, uninterrupted power supply, uninterrupted service delivery, hinged on competent staff operating the state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment made available.

“It is high time we reinforce our confidence in the medical treatment here”, she urged.

Ofongwu told the gathering that his company has the highest quality products and has been doing business all over the world since 1981.

On his company’s relationship with UCH, Ofongwu said; “We believe that UCH, being the top teaching institution in the country, should have commensurate facilities.

“Our company prides itself in the fact that our products are profitable to the users”.

Dawson, who came for the event from South Africa, explained that her company provides a spectrum of solutions to many ailments.

“ Patients are assured of equitable results all over the world, with our products.

“They also have scalable testing capability and we have strong experience and expertise to back up our sales all over Africa”

The company’s top marketing executive also disclosed that the company has sponsored two members of the staffs of UCH for an academic training in a University in South Africa.