The Chief Medical Director of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, UMTH, Professor Ahmed Ahidjo, says prioritising institutional development by public servants and office holders is critical to improving service delivery in the public sector.
Professor Ahidjo stated this in Maiduguri, Borno State, after receiving an award for Courage in Leadership Amid Devastating Circumstances from the Journalists’ Forum for the Promotion of Health and Environment, REMAPSEN Nigeria.
The award recognised his leadership in managing the devastating impact of the September 2024 flood that destroyed and damaged medical equipment at the teaching hospital.
Professor Ahidjo, who has served as the hospital’s CMD for eight years, said his determination to rebuild the institution rather than focus solely on his office helped accelerate the hospital’s recovery.
He explained that the hospital sought assistance to replace damaged equipment and encouraged donors to work directly with manufacturers, a strategy he said improved the speed and effectiveness of the recovery process.
Presenting the award, the National Coordinator of REMAPSEN Nigeria, Mr Timothy Olanrewaju, said Professor Ahidjo was recognised for his leadership in ensuring that the hospital continued to provide healthcare services, train medical personnel and conduct research despite the challenges.
Mr Olanrewaju noted that within a year of the flood disaster, the hospital secured support from Nigerian businessman, Sir Emeka Offor, to replace equipment worth more than one billion naira destroyed at the Cancer Centre.
He explained that the equipment was procured directly from manufacturers in the United States, describing the development as evidence of the CMD’s determination to restore the hospital’s capacity.
The REMAPSEN coordinator also commended Professor Ahidjo for maintaining medical services amid persistent insurgency around the hospital, particularly following the suicide bomb attack at the hospital gate on Monday, March 16.
He said the mobilisation of medical personnel to provide emergency care to victims of the attack demonstrated the CMD’s courage and commitment to service in a conflict-affected environment.
Paradigm News reports that REMAPSEN Nigeria is part of the African Network for the Promotion of Health and Environment, established in 2023 by journalists reporting health and environmental issues across the continent, with the award serving as part of its efforts to encourage improved public health and environmental protection.