The Accident & Emergency department (Now Department of Emergency Medicine) University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital has undergone a remarkable transformation. This significant milestone accompanies the launch of a pioneering Residency training Program in emergency medicine in the hospital. The program has as its mission statement: To train skilled and competent emergency medicine practitioners who will be proficient in the immediate and long term treatment of medical and surgical emergencies.
Speaking on the day of the flah-off, the management of the department, represented by the Head of Department (Trauma care) Dr. Diamond Tamunokuro while briefing management of the hospital on the transformational progress earned in the department said, the department has seen steady growth in patient load, academic activities, training programs and internally generated revenue.
He further stated that the department organized the first ever institution+ based update course in emergency medicine in the country which has brought UPTH to limelight especially in the area of emergency medicine.
Dr. Diamond noted that with the inauguration of the Residency programme in Emergency medicine in UPTH, patients will no longer be attended to by individual doctors, but by a team of doctors, so that specialist care is brought to patients early enough and waiting time will be reduced drastically.
Also speaking, a consultant in the department and former HOD Accident and Emergency, Tamunomiebaka Dick Williams, said the unit’s ability to train and conduct research in emergency medicine will undoubtedly elevate the hospital’s rating across Nigeria.
Responding to the team from the new Emergency Medicine Department, the Chief Medical Director, Prof. Henry Ugboma, who could not hide his joy for this achievement commended the initiative, urging Resident doctors to embrace this opportunity to lead by example for future generations in healthcare. He further stated that the management of the hospital will give full support to the training program and ensure that all necessary accreditation preparations are made for the accreditation team from the faculty of emergency medicine.
He further thanked the team and asked them not to relent in their efforts to make the hospital truly first rate, world class training and service delivery health care institution.
By Rita Aletor.
