UMTH: When Tochukwu Ikene Shows Appreciation for Good Medical-Care Services

UMTH: When Tochukwu Ikene Shows Appreciation for Good Medical-Care Services

By: Balami Lazarus

In the last 40 years in the life of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) in Borno State, there has never been a time on record when a patient came back to appreciate and say thank you to the management and staff of the hospital for their good medical care and effort in health-care delivery services to patients, until recently when we have a few coming back to show appreciation. This one, coming from a corp member, moved the CMD to emotion. It also reminded us of the biblical story of the ten lepers who were healed, and one returns to say thank you.

It was a rear gesture from a Corper. Miss. Tochukwu Ikene Ubaneche, who was treated for an undisclosed ailment recently. The Corper, Ubaneche, with registration number BO/23C/1832, 2023/2024, was not the only corp member who received medical attention at the UMTH at the time, but she remembered to make a difference when she came to show gratitude to the management, clinical and non-clinical staff of the hospital “for their kindness and good medical care.”.

According to her, the hospital under the leadership of the CMD, Prof. Ahmed Ahidjo, was different from the history she heard of the UMTH. “Your leadership is unique. I was given good medical treatment and homely attention by your doctors and nurses. I see UMTH as the best medical facility in Nigeria.” She said.

In his response, the CMD, Prof. Ahidjo, said that he has never witnessed such a thing in his medical career. “This is the first time I have witnessed such a gesture from a patient.” Prof. Ahidjo further emphasized that “Ms. Tochukwu had taken time to come back and say thank you to staff and appreciate them for showing her care and love. She has taken ownership of the hospital by her kind gesture by bringing items worth N183,500 that were presented to the hospital.”

The items brought to support medical services by the corps member include a weight scale, 24 white bedsheets, 15 plastic buckets, and 100 plastic gifts for the staff. For the hospital, that was a huge surprise from a corp member, and this, according to staff, is touching and will make them do more to show more care for their patients.

Coincidentally, Corper Touchukwu was in the hospital at the time the re-accreditation team of the Radiology Department of the hospital was being conducted round. The accreditation panel of the West African College of Surgeons Faculty of Radiology were also impressed by the testimony of patients, such as the young corps member. This also impresses the team with its assessment of staff and grants a pass mark for their work.

UMTH: When Tochukwu Ikene Shows Appreciation for Good Medical-Care Services