06/12/2025
UCTH: The Re-invention of Hope
2019: Professor Ikpeme A. Ikpeme took over as Chief Medical Director and Chief Executive Officer. His first task was to lead a cleanup of the hospital environment.
He led from the front, climbing to clean fans and windows. Critics on social media responded, calling it “initial gra gra” and asserting that his tenure would bring no good.
Midway through his term, same critics pointed to those initial steps and accused him of ruining the hospital. His response? Steely silence, a deep faith in God, focus on the task at hand, and an unwavering commitment to his mantra: UCTH 2019-2027: Rebuild, Restore, Reboot,... Rebrand.
Fast forward to 2025, and before our very eyes, the new UCTH, under the leadership of Professor Ikpeme A. Ikpeme, is emerging. The expectations of the righteous have been met… and in some cases, exceeded.
Welcome to the new UCTH and our re-invention of hope:
* Electricity: Available 24/7✅
* Water: Available 24/7 and Treated✅
* Radiology Department: Fully equipped, from basic X-rays to 1.5 Tesla MRI✅
* Laboratories: Fully equipped, with technical support & backup systems ✅
* Infrastructure: Significantly improved✅
* Reception (Granite Floor): Renovated and upgraded✅
* Outpatient Clinics: Dentistry, Family Medicine 1 & 2, Ophthalmology, Urology, Antenatal & Gynecology Clinics: Renovated and upgraded✅
* Labour Ward: Renovated and upgraded✅
* Intensive Care Unit: World-class✅
* Main theatre Operating Rooms: World-class✅
* Aesthetics and Green Spaces✅
* Electronic Medical Records & Health Information Management system ✅
* New infrastructure ✅
* Timed appointment system ✅
* Surgical productivity rate: 95% of all booked cases are done✅
* Patient-centric care✅
* Introduction of new clinical services like Arthroscopy and Sports Medicine, advanced Endoscopy, Stress ECG, etc✅
* First Health facility in West Africa to perform Endoscopic Ultrasound scan for diagnosis of Hepatopancearticocholàngic ailments✅
* Revival of cardiac pacemaker insertion.
* First Open Heart Surgery in South-South Nigeria in 2021
* Accreditation of at least 90% of academic departments for training✅
* Re-roofing of the Hospital complex✅
* New Department of Emergency Medicine & Trauma Centre complex✅
* Strenghthening of the Calabar Institute of
Tropical Disease Treatment & Prevention, and increase in International Research collaborations from 1 in 2019 to over 17 in 2025✅
* Completion and deployment for use of the House Officers' Quarters after 32 years in construction ✅
* Construction of the Isolation Treatment centre and Molecular Laboratory
* Comfortable Cancer chemotherapy day care room
* Upgrade of Accident & Emergency room & services
* AND MANY MORE POSITIVES...
* Lessons on our journey: Take the criticisms as stepping stones & Learning tools, BE STILL & BE STEEL, focus on the task & shut out the noise. If you must talk, let your results do the talking for you. Negative energies will be silenced when the works begin to speak!
* We recognize we are a work in progress, and there is still significant work to be done. But we are confident in our team, our faith & our direction.
* We chose & continue to choose to focus on our evolution into a place of healing, comfort and hope. We welcome constructive criticism, insights and contributions to our growth.
Welcome to the UCTH evolution of Hope under the leadership of Prof. Ikpeme A. Ikpeme.
