UCTH boosts patient care with cutting-edge endoscopy techniques
…these advanced procedures will enhance medical tourism…CMD
By Ike Uchechukwu, CALABAR
The University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), has upscaled its range of clinical services and patient care with the introduction of cutting-edge endoscopic procedures.
The Chief Medical Director, (CMD )of the Hospital, Prof. Ikpeme Ikpeme who disclosed this to journalists in Calabar, weekend revealed that the hospital was the second government-owned facility to introduce advanced endoscopic procedure in Nigeria.
Professor Ikpeme said that UCTH was collaborating with the Massachusetts General Hospital in the United States of America to advance endoscopic practice in Cross River State and Nigeria in general with support also from the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital.
His words :”We (UCTH) have had a basic endoscopy programme ongoing for years, but we thought it was time to upscale it and introduce advanced endoscopy.
” So, we got into a collaboration with the Massachusetts General Hospital to advance endoscopic practice in our locality.
“We are the second federal institution doing this. The only other federal institution is the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital. So our collaboration is actually with Massachusetts General Hospital with a lot of support from OAU Teaching Hospital,” Prof Ikpeme said.
The CMD explained that part of the details of the partnership and the commitment of the hospital was to provide affordable healthcare, drive medical tourism, and achieve access to quality healthcare services for ordinary Nigerians.
“The partnership involved the introduction of Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS).
“The advantage of this is that it would improve diagnosis of hepatopancreatic biliary diseases, and when that happens, then the chances for better treatment are also improved.
“Prior to this time, if somebody had pancreatic cancer and needed to do biopsy, we would need to give them a big incision in the abdomen to go see the pancreas and then do the biopsy.
“But, with what we have now, we introduce a camera mounted on a fiber optic cable, and looking at the video screen, we get to the specific area, do the biopsy needed, administer the treatment and the person is fine,” Ikpeme explained.
According to him, the hospital had trained its staff in the United States of America and India as well as procured the equipment for the advanced endoscopic procedure, adding that they have also successfully completed a training programme for the staff here in Calabar with the support of our partners.
“The training was hands-on on models with live patients led by our staff. We are building capacity, we are building expertise because we want it to survive and be sustainable long after the three-year MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) comes to an end.
“We have successfully treated 8 patients free of charge, who were supposed to travel outside Nigeria for the same treatment as well as a patient from Zambia,” he stated.
Speaking further on the benefits of new cutting-edge, specialist-driven service offered, the CMD said, “advanced medical treatment in this specialty is being brought nearer home, nearer to the common man which will in no small way save cost.
“It means improved accessibility because it would be more affordable, improved diagnostics, improved treatment, and improved outcomes for Nigeria and Africa generally. So it is a win-win for everybody,” he said.
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