PAEDIATRICS & CHILD HEALTH DEPARTMENT

Prof. Nsirimobu Ichendu Paul. MB.; BS, Ph.D. (UPH), FWACP (Paed).

Head of Department (HOD)

Prof. Nsirimobu I. Paul leads the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health , having assumed duty on April 23, 2024.

With over 14 years as a honourary consultant Paediatrician and 5 years of distinguished service as a Professor of Paediatrics, Prof. Paul brings remarkable expertise to his role in both the hospital and University of Port Harcourt. He earned his MBBS from the University of Port Harcourt and a Ph.D in Public Health from the same university.

A Fellow of the West African College of Physicians, Prof. Paul has also enhanced his leadership capabilities with a certificate in Leadership and Management in Health from the University of Washington.

A dedicated researcher and Paediatric Infectious Disease expert, Prof. Paul focuses on critical areas including Paediatric HIV, Malaria, and General Paediatrics, driving advancements in child health care. His compassion for vulnerable populations is evident in his chairmanship of the Nsirim Foundation, which provides vital support to indigent ill children. Prof. Paul’s leadership is marked by a steadfast commitment to excellence, inclusiveness, and efficiency – values that shape the care and services delivered by our department.

Under Prof. Paul’s leadership, the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health continues to strive for outstanding care, advancing clinical excellence, research innovation, and compassionate service to children and families in our community. His vision shapes our efforts to deliver high-quality, patient-centered care, reflecting our hospital’s commitment to improving child health outcomes.

DEPARTMENT OF PAEDIATRICS

The Department of Paediatrics is the main health care providing site for children in the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria which comprises the following states: Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Abia, Cross River and Enugu.
It is also a teaching site for Residents and students in Paediatrics and Child Health and provides opportunities for research.

Scope
There are Six main branches of the Paediatrics Department that include; the Emergency Unit (worthy of note is this stated in the Service Charter: “It is the policy of the emergency room to admit, diagnose and treat any emergency within the first 24 hours without recourse to the patient’s ability to pay for services or insurance coverage.”), Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU), Children’s wards (1 & 2), Out-Patient Clinic, the Diarrhoea Training Unit (DTU) and Consultant Paediatric Clinics in the following specialty areas: Neonatology, Nephrology, Neurology, Haematology, Oncology, Social and Preventive Paediatrics, Gastroenterology, Endocrinology, Infectious disease, Respiratology, Cardiology, and Adolescent medicine.

History of the Department

The Department of Paediatrics and Child Health was established in May 1980 in the then Institute of Health Sciences of the University of Port Harcourt. Its pioneer staff were Dr. L. T. Mbuagbaw and Dr. R. S. Oruamabo who both assumed duty on 1^st May 1980 and 2^nd May 1980 respectively, Dr. L. T. Mbuagbaw was the First Head of Department and remained head until 1984 when he left for Cameroun.

They were joined by Drs. G. O. Okoji and F. U. Chira as pioneer medical officers. They became the first set of Residents later.

The Institute of Health Science between 1980 and 1982 ran the B.MED. Sciences programme and only students who graduated with a minimum of second class lower division after a four-year programme were admitted into the M.B.B.S programme for another three years.

The Institute changed to the collegiate system in 1982 and by 1983 when there was dire need of an appropriate clinical training centre that would also meet accreditation requirement. This necessitated the movement of the hospital from Emohua to the Rivers State Government-owned General hospital in Port Harcourt Township under the headship of Prof. A. A. Obuoforibo, who was the second Provost of the College and Chief Medical Director of the hospital. This movement gave the opportunity for the growth of the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health both in its undergraduate, postgraduate and healthcare service delivery programmes. The hospital finally moved to its permanent site at Alakahia in 2006.

The second set of Residents include Drs. Idigo, N. A. Akani, A. Okah, A.A Asinnobi, Alikor E.A.D and in 1986 Dr. A. U. Eneh who transferred from the Department of Medicine. Drs. Alikor, Asinobi, and Okah later left for University College Hospital, Ibadan.

Dr. (Mrs.) F. Eke joined the department in 1985 and assumed headship of the Department until 1986. Thereafter, Dr. R. S. Oruamabo became the head. During this period, some staff of the General Hospital worked in collaboration with the department and these included Drs. C. T. Wari-Toby, Ogunkunle, and Arora, although the last two left. Some visiting lecturers also contributed their quota.

For adequate training of the medical students and residents, the following facilities were established in the hospital.

Children’s Emergency Ward (CHEW)
Children’s Medical Wards which operates two wards each with a capacity of 48 beds with the possibility of horizontal expansion.
Special Care Baby Unit and Newborn Intensive Care Unit: This is made up of two inborn and one outborn wards.
Clinics: There are General Outpatients’ clinic and Consultants’ clinics. Today, we run specialty clinics like Neonatology, Nephrology, Endocrinology, Haemoatology, Oncology and Palliative, Neurology, Cardiology, Community Paediatrics, Infectious Disease, and Adolescent clinic

The Department relocated to its 2-storey building permanent block in 2010. This block has the children emergency ward (CHEW), children outpatient (CHOP), clinic, consultant paediatric clinic (CPC), diarrhoea and respiratory training unit, side laboratory and a satellite pharmacy on the ground floor.

Staff Strength

The Department which started off with only 2 lecturers has through its activities and capacity building increased its staff strength to 20 with the following cadres: nine (9) Professors, twelve (12) Senior lecturers. Apart from three Professors, the other members of staff started and finished their residency programmes at the UPTH and were subsequently employed by the University for the Department. Prof. R. S. Oruamabo retired in 2007 and Prof. F Eke in 2017.

Residency/Training Programmes

Training Programmes Offered (Include duration, scope, certification):

The department runs a robust and fully accredited post graduate Paediatrics training program in tandem with the curricula of the faculties of Paediatrics of both the National Post Graduate Medical College of Nigeria and the West African College of Physicians. The training culminates in the Fellowship qualifications of both colleges (FWACP(Paed) and FMCPaed) and also supports the Doctor of Medicine (MD) Program in Paediatrics which is offered solely by the National Post Graduate Medical College.

Candidates to be admitted into the residency training program MUST posses a Pass in the Primary fellowship examination in Paediatrics of the National Post Graduate Medical College and /or the West African College of Physicians, completion of the mandatory National Youth Service Corps or a certificate of exemption in addition to a good primary medical qualification (MB.;BS/MBBCh/MBChB) from a recognized institution as well as a valid license to practice and full registration with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.

Procedures / Specialized Services Rendered

Paediatric HIV and Anti-retroviral Therapy and follow-up.

Paediatric Nephrology including Renal Biopsy and Peritoneal Dialysis

Paediatric Cardiology services including Echocardiography and Electroencephalography (ECG)

Paediatric HIV and Anti-retroviral Therapy and follow-up.

Paediatric Nephrology including Renal Biopsy and Peritoneal Dialysis

Tertiary Neonatal services including Incubator care, respiratory support such as CPAP , Phototherapy , exchange blood transfusions etc

Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes Clinics

Social Paediatrics and child safeguarding Services

Paediatric Dermatology Services including Skin Biopsy

Paediatric Respiratology services including Bronchial Asthma and Allergy

Child Neurology Services including Electroencephalography

Bone marrow aspiration procedure

Cancer chemotherapy

Notable Achievements

Training Programmes Offered (Include duration, scope, certification):

Clinic Days & Time (Include specialty clinic days)

Mondays: Infectious Disease Clinic & Endocrinology Clinic

Tuesdays: Neonatology Clinic & Nephrology

Wednesday: Community/Preventive & Oncology &Social Paediatrics &Dermatology

Thursday: Haematology & Cardiology

Friday: Neurology & Pulmunology

Departmental Achievements

Despite the challenges of clinical practice, the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health has achieved remarkable milestones. A major breakthrough was the successful management of an extremely low birth weight preterm baby—born at 24 weeks and weighing just 480 grams—who was discharged home in stable condition at 1.5 kg after 80 days of admission.

Academically, the department prides itself on a strong faculty, including 50 Professorial staff members—the highest in the College of Health Sciences, University of Port Harcourt. This strength reflects in the outstanding performance of residents in postgraduate examinations. Over the years, our residents have earned multiple awards, including Dr. Chinwe Ogbonnaa-Njoku and Dr. Vivien Okoduwa as best Part 1 candidates at WACP and NPMCN in 2019 and 2022 respectively. Drs. Datonye C. Briggs and Sopakirite Douglas also won the Olubunmi Robin Coker Prize for Best Dissertation in 2019 and 2023, and both received the Kunle Ijayi Award for Best Oral Presentation at subsequent PANCONF conferences.

For more details on the scope of work see

UPTH Service Charter.
For Protocol of service; see UPTH Service Charter.

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Prof. Nsirimobu Ichendu Paul. MB.; BS, Ph.D. (UPH), FWACP (Paed).

Head of Department (HOD)

DEPARTMENT OF PAEDIATRICS

Residency/Training Programmes

Procedures / Specialized Services Rendered

Notable Achievements

Clinic Days & Time (Include specialty clinic days)

Departmental Achievements

For more details on the scope of work see

Orur Latest New

Happy Birthday, Professor Henry A. A. Ugboma, Chief Medical Director of UPTH

Reflecting on 45 Years of Compassion and Growth at UPTH

UPTH Celebrates 45th Anniversary with Endowment Fund Launch

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Newsletter

Emergency Medical Care

24-Hour Hotline

Always Open

Email:

Useful Links

Our Departments

Opening hours

Opening hours

©2022, UPTH All Rights Reserved

About Us

Contact Info

CLINICAL SERVICES

NON-CLINICAL SERVICE

PATIENTS & VISITORS GUIDE

Prof. Nsirimobu Ichendu Paul. MB.; BS, Ph.D. (UPH), FWACP (Paed).

Head of Department (HOD)

DEPARTMENT OF PAEDIATRICS

Residency/Training Programmes

Procedures / Specialized Services Rendered

Notable Achievements

Clinic Days & Time (Include specialty clinic days)

Departmental Achievements

For more details on the scope of work see

Orur Latest New

Happy Birthday, Professor Henry A. A. Ugboma, Chief Medical Director of UPTH

Reflecting on 45 Years of Compassion and Growth at UPTH

UPTH Celebrates 45th Anniversary with Endowment Fund Launch

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Emergency Medical Care

24-Hour Hotline

Always Open

Email:

Useful Links

Our Departments

Opening hours

Opening hours

©2022, UPTH All Rights Reserved

Subscribe to our
Newsletter