By Christiana Gokyo, Jos
The National Orthopedic Hospital, Jos, has admitted 259 patients and successfully carried out 154 major surgeries, including two hip replacements and several knee replacement procedures, since it commenced clinical operations in 2025.
The Managing Director of the hospital, Prof. Icha Inalegwu Onche, disclosed this during an interactive session with journalists held on Wednesday at the hospital’s conference hall in Jos.
Prof. Onche said the hospital, which currently operates with a 20-bed capacity, has also treated numerous fracture and deformity cases, while its plastic surgeons have handled several reconstructive procedures.
He, however, noted that the hospital faces a significant backlog of outpatient cases due to financial constraints, as many patients are unable to raise funds required for surgery.
According to him, the hospital is yet to be enrolled under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), making access to specialised care more difficult for many patients.
He revealed that 142 patients have so far been discharged, while the total number of patients attended to stood at 2,441 as of last week.
The interactive session reviewed the hospital’s two-year journey, highlighting major achievements, challenges and its commitment to providing specialised orthopaedic care to the people of Plateau State, the North-Central region and Nigeria at large.
Prof. Onche explained that the first major milestone was the signing into law of the Act establishing the National Orthopedic Hospital by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2023.
He noted that he was appointed Managing Director on May 25, 2023, which is why the hospital’s official logo bears the inscription “Established 2023.”
Another major milestone, he said, was the lease of the hospital facility by the Plateau State Government to the Federal Government.
He explained that Governor Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang approved the arrangement, while the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on July 2, 2024, by the Federal Ministry of Health.
Prof. Onche commended Governor Mutfwang, the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Gyang Abas, and other stakeholders for their support in ensuring the successful take-off of the hospital.
He disclosed that the hospital is currently owed about N102 million in unpaid debts, posing financial challenges to its operations.
Speaking on staffing, the Managing Director said the hospital recruited 193 staff members strictly on merit despite not receiving recruitment waivers.
He explained that many personnel were initially drawn from other hospitals to enable the facility begin operations.
He stressed that political recommendations and influence did not determine recruitment, insisting that only qualified candidates were employed.
Prof. Onche further disclosed that stakeholders supported the hospital by providing medical equipment on loan, enabling it to commence services despite limited resources.
He expressed satisfaction that many patients who received treatment had recovered and returned to their normal lives, describing the positive outcomes as a major source of encouragement for the management and staff.
