The University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) has embarked on an extensive transformation of its healthcare infrastructure with massive renovations, expansion projects and specialised medical services aimed at strengthening tertiary healthcare delivery in Cross River State and neighbouring regions.
Chief Medical Director's Remarks
Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Prof Ikpeme Ikpeme, disclosed this during a facility tour of the hospital by members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and inauguration of the newly renovated and remodelled male and female medical wards in Calabar on Friday. He highlighted the scale of ongoing projects, federal government interventions and the hospital’s growing medical capacity.
Ikpeme revealed that the 850-bed capacity hospital currently operates 62 clinical and non-clinical departments, with between 30 and 38 wards and clinics already renovated through either complete remodelling or major facelift projects. According to him, most of the wards previously fell below acceptable standards for patient care before the renovations.
“Suffice it to say that they were not good for human habitation. But if you walk into those wards now, you will feel like it is a place where you can stay,” he said.
He explained that the hospital management adopted modern ward structures based on global nursing principles, where each ward bay accommodates a manageable number of patients and nurse ratio to enhance effective healthcare delivery.
Growing Demand for Services
The CMD stated that UCTH currently has an 850-bed capacity but continues to experience pressure due to the increasing population it serves across Cross River State and neighbouring states, including referrals from Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and parts of Central Africa.
“We are the only tertiary hospital serving almost five million people in Cross River State and we also receive patients from neighbouring states and neighbouring countries,” he said.
To address the growing demand for emergency healthcare services, Ikpeme disclosed that the hospital is constructing a new Department of Emergency Medicine with a 406-bed capacity. The project, according to him, will contain trauma bays, medical and surgical emergency units, male and female wards, children’s emergency wards, neonatal intensive care units, intensive care facilities and fully equipped trauma theatres.
Government Support and Power Supply
He credited the Cross River State and Federal Governments for supporting the hospital through critical interventions, especially in the area of power supply. Ikpeme said UCTH is among beneficiaries of the seven-megawatt captive power plant facilitated through the Rural Electrification Agency, serving both the University of Calabar and the teaching hospital. He noted that the intervention has significantly reduced the burden of energy challenges within the hospital despite rising operational costs.
“Cost of energy is very high, but through the intervention of the Federal Government and the Rural Electrification Agency, we now benefit from a seven-megawatt captive solar power plant,” he stated.
He added that the hospital still combines public electricity supply and generators to maintain stable power for medical services.
Specialised Medical Procedures
The CMD also highlighted several specialised medical procedures currently being carried out at UCTH, insisting that the institution now competes favourably with top tertiary hospitals in the country. According to him, the hospital now performs hip and knee replacements, sports medicine procedures, minimally invasive keyhole surgeries, neurosurgical operations including brain tumour surgeries, urological procedures and advanced radiological interventions.
“We can remove a diseased appendix and discharge the patient the next day because we now do minimal access surgery. We can carry out brain tumour surgeries and many advanced procedures people think can only be done outside the state,” he said.
Appeal for Support
Ikpeme further appealed for increased support from public-spirited individuals, organisations and government agencies to help the hospital expand infrastructure and procure modern medical equipment. He disclosed that the new emergency complex alone would require about 26 specialised incubators for neonatal intensive care services.
“There is nothing wrong with individuals, state governments and organisations supporting us with infrastructure, equipment and funding because the needs are enormous,” he said.
Staff Professionalism and Discipline
On concerns over workers’ attitude to patients, the CMD said the hospital operates a strict reward and disciplinary system to ensure professionalism and accountability among staff. He explained that patients and their relatives can directly report cases of negligence or misconduct through publicly displayed complaint channels, including direct access to his phone number.
“We operate a system of reward and punishment. When people do well, we commend them. When they fail professionally, we investigate and discipline them appropriately,” he said.
Ikpeme also dismissed allegations that the hospital discriminated against house officers of Igbo extraction, describing the claims circulated on social media as false and misleading. He maintained that the hospital does not discriminate against any worker or trainee based on ethnicity, noting that several top officials within the institution are of Igbo origin.
Commitment to Improvement
The CMD said the management remains committed to improving healthcare services, upgrading facilities and positioning UCTH as a leading tertiary healthcare institution in Nigeria.
The highpoint of the tour was the inauguration of the male and female medical wards renovated and remodelled in 2026 in honour of Prof Emmanuel Ezedinachi, for pioneering Nigerian internal physician in UCTH, committed teacher and researcher, malariologist; and Dr Obal Otu, the first Nigerian female internal physician in UCTH (1976–1982), for inspiring mentor of women in the medical profession.
