Calabar: Professor Ikpeme Ikpeme, Chief Medical Director of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), has revealed that the hospital’s 850 beds are overwhelmed by the demands of more than five million patients, highlighting a critical strain on healthcare resources.
Ikpeme disclosed this on Friday during a media tour of the facility to showcase ongoing renovations and facelift in the hospital.
The CMD noted that, as the only tertiary healthcare facility in the state, it serves neighbouring states of Ebonyi and Enugu.
He said the hospital also received referrals from Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and the Central African Republic.
According to him, the 850-bed hospital faced persistent space constraints due to rising patient inflow and growing healthcare demands.
This hospital currently operates 62 clinical and non-clinical departments and 30-38 wards. Wards are distinct hospital sections where patients stay for specific types of care, such as medical, surgical, paediatric, orthopaedic, and specialised services.
“Most wards have undergone facelift, remodelling, or complete renovation to improve patient care and working conditions for healthcare professionals,” he said.
He said the hospital was building a 106-bed emergency facility to meet rising healthcare demand.
According to him, the facility will include trauma bays—special areas designed for immediate treatment of serious injuries—intensive care units, neonatal wards for newborns, and three fully equipped trauma theatres.
Speaking on the remodelled wards, Ikpeme explained that they followed modern nursing principles, allowing one nurse to attend to a maximum of 10 patients.
He said relatives would be restricted to designated waiting areas to reduce interference with medical procedures and improve the efficiency of emergency response.
The CMD said the hospital has strengthened specialist services in orthopaedics, neurosurgery, obstetrics, radiology, and minimally invasive surgery.
UCTH now performs hip and knee replacements, arthroscopy, sports medicine treatments, and complex brain tumour surgeries. Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure for joint treatment using a small camera and instruments.
Our surgeons also conduct keyhole procedures—minimally invasive surgeries done through small incisions with specialised instruments—for appendectomy, hysterectomy, and other conditions, resulting in shorter recovery periods for patients.
In the area of power, the CMD said the hospital relied on solar power from a 7-megawatt plant constructed by the federal government at the University of Calabar, as well as public power supply and generators to sustain its operations.
He appealed to governments, organisations, and philanthropists for support with infrastructure, equipment, and specialised projects.
The CMD said the hospital required more incubators for premature babies, ward expansions, and a stand-alone amenity facility—a dedicated building offering separate private healthcare services.
He also denied allegations of ethnic discrimination, stressing that the hospital does not reject workers or patients based on tribe or origin.
According to him, the institution recently honoured an Igbo pioneer physician by naming a ward after him in recognition of decades of service.
The CMD said the hospital keeps strict disciplinary measures against negligence, poor attitude, and unethical conduct.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the units visited include the intensive care unit, the radiology department, the urology clinic, and the ophthalmology clinic, among others.