University of Benin Teaching Hospital

The University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) is a prominent multi-specialty healthcare provider and a first-generation teaching hospital in West Africa, located in Ugbowo, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. Established on May 12, 1973, it was taken over by the Federal Government on April 1, 1975.

History and Mandate:

The concept of UBTH originated in 1969, spearheaded by Colonel Samuel O. Ogbemudia, then Governor of the Midwestern State of Nigeria, and Prof. Tiamiyu Belo-Osagie, who envisioned a modern medical center for the region. Its establishment was intended to complement its sister institution, the University of Benin, and to provide secondary and tertiary healthcare to the then Mid-Western Region (now Edo and Delta States) and its environs. The hospital also serves as a crucial facility for training high and mid-level healthcare professionals and spearheads research opportunities for university lecturers and other researchers studying economic morbidity and related healthcare issues. Its motto at inception was “Healing, Research and Training.”

Facilities and Capacity:

Initially opened with a bed capacity of 360, UBTH has significantly expanded its facilities and now boasts over 900 beds. The hospital is equipped with modern diagnostic and treatment technologies, including a Dialysis Center, CT Scanning Service, a fully integrated Accident Center, and a functional Oxygen generating unit. It also has a helipad.

Services and Specialties:

UBTH offers a comprehensive range of healthcare services across numerous departments and subspecialties. Key areas include:

• Clinical Departments:
  • Internal Medicine: Provides general and specialized care, including units for Dermatology/Infectious Diseases, Neurology, Pulmonology, and Clinical Pharmacology/Therapeutics. It features a unique “stroke ward,” the first of its kind in Nigeria.
  • Surgery: Organized into specialty units such as General Surgery (Gastroenterology, Endocrinology/Oncology, Colo-Rectal), Cardiothoracic Surgery, Paediatric Surgery, Accident/Trauma and Surgery, Urology, and Neurosurgery. It also performs laparoscopic procedures and GI endoscopy.
  • Child Health (Paediatrics): Focuses on the healthcare needs of children, including neonatal care.
  • Obstetrics and Gynaecology: Offers services including Materno-Fetal Medicine, Gynae-Oncology, Uro-Gynaecology, fertility counseling, IVF treatments, endocrinology, antenatal care, and high-risk pregnancy management.
  • Dentistry: Covers Restorative Dentistry, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Orthodontics, Functional Appliance Treatment, Cleft Lip and Palate management, Fixed Prosthodontics, Endodontics, Cosmetic Dentistry, and Operative and Prosthetic Dentistry.
  • Radiology: Provides medical imaging services such as X-rays, Ultrasound, CT scanners, MRI machines, Bone scans, and Mammography.
  • Pathology: Includes Anatomic Pathology (Morbid Anatomy and Histopathology), Medical Microbiology, Haematology, and Chemical Pathology, offering extensive laboratory testing (e.g., SWAP, stool, urine, CSF, blood culture, semen analysis, serology, fungus, TB, HIV, parasites, urinalysis, liver function tests, lipid and thyroid profiles).
  • Physiotherapy: Offers rehabilitation services.
  • Anaesthesiology
  • Orthopaedics and Traumatology
  • Mental Health
  • Community Health: Extends primary healthcare services through Community Health Centres in Ogbona and Udo, and a General Practice Clinic.
  • Environmental Health Unit
  • Ophthalmology
  • Family Medicine
• Other Services:
  • Pharmacy: Dispensing of drugs, patient counseling on drug utilization, stock and inventory control, pharmacovigilance, quality assessment, research and development, and pharmaceutical care.
  • Nursing: Hands-on patient care in wards and clinics, medication administration, IV lines, patient monitoring, record keeping, communication with consultants, and patient advocacy.
  • Paramedics: Pre-hospital and inter-hospital medical treatment, including emergency care, oxygen administration, wound dressing, intramuscular drug administration, intravenous access, cardiac arrest care, and endotracheal intubation.
  • Radiotherapy: Specializes in treating various types of cancer, with a recently opened brachytherapy center for gynecological and other cancers.

Training and Research:

As a teaching hospital affiliated with the University of Benin, UBTH is a leading institution for medical education and research in West Africa. It offers:

• Undergraduate and Postgraduate Medical Training: Training for medical students (MBBS and BDS degrees) across various levels, and residency programs for doctors in numerous subspecialties.
• Internship Programs: For medical professionals across fields including medicine, pharmacy, physiotherapy, ophthalmology, medical laboratory science, nursing, radiography, dentistry, nutrition, and dietetics.
• Nursing Education: The College of Nursing Sciences (formerly School of Nursing) offers Registered Nurse (RN), National Diploma (ND), and Higher National Diploma (HND) programs, with admission now through JAMB.
• Health Information Management: The Institute of Health Sciences and Technology (IHS&T) includes a Department of Health Information Management offering ND and HND programs.
• Research: UBTH is actively involved in research, particularly concerning local morbidity burdens, with consultants and residents collaborating on projects leading to journal publications and conference presentations.

UBTH’s vision is to be a leader in providing quality healthcare solutions in West Africa, with a mission to achieve the best health outcomes through affordable and consistent quality care, education, and research in a compassionate environment.