From Olukayode Idowu, Maiduguri
University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) has said teaching hospitals should intensify building of medical outreaches in their areas of coverage to meet with growing health needs of the nation.
The Chief Medical Director of the institution, Prof. Ahmed Ahidjo said this at the weekend during the commissioning of newly rehabilitated Medical Outreach at the Federal Secretariat Maiduguri.
Ahidjo said the health needs of Nigeria has made it important for Teaching Hospitals to go into communities to build medical outreaches that will cater for the primary healthcare needs of the nation.
He said the outreaches would also for the training of medical practitioners which is the core responsibility of Teaching Hospitals.
He said: “It is a happy day and moment for us at UMTH. For us to train effectively we need a primary healthcare outlet. This is a department in the family healthcare unit which is lacking in the Northeast. It is to improve the healthcare in the Northeast region.”
He added that the UMTH has medical outreaches in Potiskum, Madagali, Banki and Masinmari to work with and improve the healthcare of the communities in the Northeast.
He said: “We are doing this in order to reach out to the grassroots which is part of our obligations in providing healthcare.”
Earlier during the commissioning, the chairman of UMTH Board Management. Hadi Gumel has explained that the building of medical outreaches was part of the four year development plan of the institution.
He said the development plan involves the transformation agenda of the board, explaining that “in the last two years those that are familiar with the Teaching Hospital have seen the tremendous progress that the hospital has made.”
He said: “We are extending this service to the community, and the federal secretariat Maiduguri falls into this.”