MOP is Another Stride in UMTH (2) 

MOP is Another Stride in UMTH (2) 

By: Balami Lazarus 

In my interaction with certain individuals recently in Abuja, I came to realize how far and wide our stories about the achievements made by the management team of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) under Professor Ahmed Ahidjo have gotten to the door steps of the people, especially those who traveled to Maiduguri on medical referrals and returned with good stories from that end of the world. 

Following the news report on the Medical Oxygen Plant at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), where the progress and developmental effort under the leadership of the CMD, Prof. Ahmed Ahidjo, who is medically changing the phase of the hospital, viz., healthcare services, teaching, and research, key in the primary aims and objectives for the functions of UMTH, one of the giant tertiary medical institutions and a leading hospital in Nigeria that is contributing immensely to the health sector of the country, I felt the blood running through my veins with so much joy that the people are appreciating the works that kept the UMTH at the top of medical tourism in the country as of today. It takes vision from a man who puts together a team that is working for the greater good. 

Oxygen plant.

Recall that our recent visit and inspection of the Medical Oxygen Plant, NEWSng, witnessed mass production taking place in the plant with cylinders of different sizes: bed and amblance sizes are ready for use in wards and centers, as well as for sale and supply to other hospitals and medical facilities in need. The picture was vivid in the transformation agenda set by the management team, and such a plant that we saw also at the National Hospital in Abuja reflected on the vision and mission of the CMD as a determined personality, whose target and aspiration were to write his name in gold not only as a radiology expert but also as a management guru as far as good administration is concerned. 

READ ALSO:https://newsng.ng/umth-how-professor-ahidjos-transformation-agenda-impacted-the-information-unit/

Speaking with Engr. Babangida Mohammed Inuwa, the Head of Production and an expert in Oxygen Production Technology, during our last visit, he informed NEWSng that UMTH is considered the best in this area, having been in it for over two decades. His words were as sharp as they were direct. “UMTH is often considered the best in medical oxygen management among her peers for apparently having an onsite oxygen plant for two decades that is still functional. This is evidently telling you that we are no match compared to other hospitals like ours.”  On this, we had a test of his words when we visited that national hospital, where discussion led to the understanding that indeed, the UMTH is standing taller when compared. 

Therefore, there is no denying the fact that medical oxygen is medicinal for patients and for the purpose of saving the lives of ill patients on the danger list. That is the reason every hospital needs oxygen for immediate or future use. “Medical oxygen is life for the patient.” A medical expert puts it. It has been proven that to change something, you must build a new model or improve upon the existing one to give it a new phase. In this regard, Engr. Inuwa said, “The importance of oxygen plants in modern healthcare delivery cannot be overemphasized.” The installed Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA), a low-power onsite oxygen production technology system, and the 10,000-liter liquid oxygen tank (LOT) have made it possible for adequate medical oxygen supply to the hospital wards and centers in the UMTH. 

While concluding our tour of the facility at the UMTH, we noticed the renovation exercise taking place on the premises of the plant. The head of the plant said that this is the focus for improvement. “At the moment, there is an upgrade and renovation exercise being carried out by the management team in the medical oxygen plant premises with the objective of expanding to improve services in medical care.” This indeed explains the push by the CMD for an adequate power supply in the hospital. We have also observed that the plant is not without challenges. The power supply is inadequate. Spare parts for corrective and planned maintenance services are also desperately in need. However, the good news is that UMTH is blessed to have a man of vision and someone who will continue to knock at every door until all challenges are resolved. 

MOP is Another Stride in UMTH (2)