A  HEALTH system is defined in the National Health Policy as comprising all organizations, structures, institutions and resources needed to provide all Nigerians with qualitative, effective, efficient, available, accessible and affordable health services in a manner that is equitable and meets their needs.

Accordingly,  Federal Medical Centres (FMCs), were established nationwide, for the purpose of providing tertiary level health care. As such, there are a total of 22 FMCs all over the country. As a general rule, most of the centres are situated in the State capital, especially in situations where the apex secondary health institution run by the state does not adequately meet the demands for specialist health care by the citizenry.

One  medical centre that has carried this vision of the Federal Government to admirable extent is the Federal Medical Centre Umuahia, Abia State.

The FMC Umuahia within framework of the law establishing the centre is  to provide qualitative, affordable, specialized/tertiary level hospital care to the citizenry and to ultimately reduce the burden of diseases within the communities, through provision of prompt and emphatic preventive, curative and rehabilitative services.

Although established in 1945 as a mission hospital and then named Queen Elizabeth Hospital, it was in 1991 taken over by the Federal Government and renamed Federal Medical Centre, with the mandate to serve the health needs of Nigerians, especially South East geopolitical zone, particularly   Abia   State residents where it is situated.

On coming to office, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) Dr. Abali Chuku, an ophthalmologist set up a reform agenda in line with President Goodluck Jonathan transformation agenda to make the medical centre one of the best in the country in terms effective service delivery.

This plan has the objective of identifying priority areas in health, attaching some cost to these urgent problems and encouraging all stakeholders  in the Medical Centre to buy into this plan.

Dr Chuku, the first Nigerian to bag the prestigious American Academy of Ophthalmology International award rolled out a four-year plan to improve on its existing services and develop new areas,  as its contribution to the realization of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG). According to him, “the centre’s mission is to provide specialized and comprehensive healthcare, using modern  equipment, research and training through highly motivated workforce operating in a conducive environment to capture our antecedent as a mission hospital.”

He stated that FMC Umuahia has the fastest growing Residency Training Programme in Nigeria with recorded passes in Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Radiology, Community medicine, Family medicine, Pediatrics, Anesthesiology and Internal medicine.

There is no doubt that the hospital is gradual becoming the best  in the  provision of  qualitative services in the country. FMC is deepening  some of its  practices especially in the areas of cardiothoracic medicine and surgery as well as in  the area of obstetrics and gynecology.

As of now, FMC is  said be one of   tertiary health institutions  where the maternal mortality rate is quite commendable. According to recent media report, FMC under Dr  Chuku  has been accredited to train gynecologists that is sub-specialist doctors in obstetrics and gynecology by the West African College of Surgeons.

Another remarkable  achievement is effort to deepen practice in the area of assisted fertilization. The  hospital is reported to be building an In-Vitro Fertilization( IVF), laboratory. The hospital is working hard to deepen its department of surgery and to provide endoscopic assisted urological surgeries. A doctor has undergone training in this field.

He has started the Fertility Clinic which will build up patients in readiness for the commencement of trials in collaboration with the Indian hospital where the fertility doctor received his training. It is projected that FMC Umuahia will rank among the best fertility hospitals in Nigeria, bringing succor to heartbroken women who could not ordinarily conceive and deliver their babies normally.

Recent media report has it that Umuahia  FMC  has just acquired a mammogram machine and is digitalizing its  X-ray department. The hospital’s management has an arrangement to procure a CT scan  and a renal dialysis centre as the health institution veers into  medical tourism. Plans are underway to procure additional six dialysis machines and one of the machines will be dedicated to HIV patients. This obviously will be a welcome development to HIV patients who find this service difficult to access in Nigeria.

In recent interview with the media,  Dr Chuku said   “We are also on record to have one of the best Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in the country according to the West African College of Surgeons and that of the National College of Medicine. They have commended our ICU quite extensively. We are also trying to deepen our internal medicine practice. We have what we call the Cardiac Echo. It’s a diagnostic equipment for studying the heart and this area has also been fully developed. We have gotten an endocrinologist to help out along with the cardiologist”.

Dr. JOHNSON AGBUNWA, a public affairs commentator, wrote from Uzuakoli, Abia State.