ROBINSON Onoh, Chief Medical Director of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (AE-FUTHA), has said that the teaching hospital is partnering with international organisations to develop a vaccine for Lassa fever.
Onoh, while speaking with journalists in Abakaliki, revealed that AE-FUTHA is one of the few designated centres in Nigeria selected for Lassa fever vaccine trials, marking the first time the country is participating in such a programme.
“This is one of the few centres conducting Lassa fever research. Nigeria has never been involved in any vaccine trials for Lassa fever, but for the first time, this centre will participate,” he stated.
According to him, AE-FUTHA is working with global partners such as CEPI, IV, IRV, and MACRO to drive the vaccine development. He further disclosed that a three-storey structure is under construction specifically for the vaccine trials—a facility, he said, is unmatched elsewhere in Nigeria, where most centres are merely undergoing renovations.
Onoh highlighted the hospital’s growing reputation for specialised surgical procedures, which, according to him, is in addition to its pioneering role in infectious disease research.
“We have the highest number of neurosurgeons and plastic surgeons in any hospital in Nigeria—six neurosurgeons and seven plastic surgeons. They’re achieving remarkable outcomes, managing complex cases that cannot be handled elsewhere,” he said.
He also spoke of AE-FUTHA’s ongoing collaboration with Smile Train, a global non-profit organisation that supports cleft lip and palate surgeries. The hospital, he said, is fully accredited to offer free surgical care for such conditions.
“Smile Train is currently upgrading our surgical theatre, and we expect the new equipment to arrive by the 25th of next month. This will enhance our ability to treat cleft conditions and other paediatric surgical cases,” he added.
Onoh reaffirmed the hospital’s commitment to excellence in research, innovation, and quality healthcare delivery, noting that various departments are becoming regional centres of expertise.
“Our ophthalmology department draws patients from across the country. We’re accredited in all sub-specialities, and we carry out advanced procedures like corneal transplants and eye reconstruction,” he said.
“In dentistry, during the last accreditation exercise, the team identified our facility as a potential regional centre for the Southeast. We are beautifying and upgrading every aspect of the hospital, including our intensive care units.”
The CMD called on the public to visit the hospital and see the progress for themselves.
“All we want is for people to see the transformation and talk about it. We are committed to making AE-FUTHA a hub for medical tourism and a centre of excellence. Our vision is to reverse medical tourism in Nigeria,” he concluded.
