Benue State University Begins IVF on 25 Women 

George Okoh in Makurdi

The Chief Medical Director, (CMD), Benue State University Teaching Hospital, (BSUTH), Makurdi, Dr. Stephen Hwande, has said the university will be performing In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) on 25 women in the hospital.

Hwande who disclosed this on Thursday while briefing reporters on recent achievements at the hospital, said the hospital has recruited neurosurgeons, pediatric surgeons, plastic surgeons, dermatologists, doctors and nurses as well as other staffs.

The CMD who revealed that one of the first things he did when he assumed office was taking stock of the manpower needs of the hospital.

He said the human resources to drive the hospital in key areas were not there.

His words: “We needed to have neurosurgeons and now we have two neurosurgeons. We needed pediatric surgeons, plastic surgeons among others and because we have got a pediatric surgeon, we have just successfully operated a child with tongue tumors yesterday, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. In the past such cases were referred to Jos or Abuja.

“Now, we have pediatric surgeons, plastic surgeons, dermatologists and in this recruitment process, we have been able to bring in opthalmologists, optometrists, dentists, including physiotherapists, radiologists and all cadre of staffs have been employed.

“We employed about 140 nurses and over 60 doctors. So within the budget of the hospital, we have employed 400 staff into the Teaching Hospital as approved by the Government of Benue state.”

He noted that the distribution is fairly even as the staff were recruited from the three Senatorial zones of the state to ensure that every sector, tribe, religion were carried along adding that even non indigenes  from Bauchi, Bornu, Enugu, among others were also recruited on merit.

He explained that from the workforce, the state government would run the Muhammadu Buhari sector annex and carry out other functions they intend to do.

He appreciated Governor Hyacinth Alia for approving the recruitment of over 400 staff at the hospital and fulfilling part of his campaign promises to take the youths off the streets and reduce unemployment.

Hwande also disclosed that the hospital has already recruited 25 women with infertility for IVF services in the first batch.

Further according to him, “So the hospital’s first batch of IVF will be in April – May and 25 women have been recruited. We are going to run that at the Muhammadu Buhari annex and the governor has directed that the services should be subsidized for these women in this first batch.

“They are already in process and it will be completed and by April to first week of May, we will have 25 women go through assisted reproduction.

“Usually, IVF processes are very expensive and for us to start it in the public sector is commendable because in the whole country you may not find up to five teaching hospitals that are involved in IVF.”

He expressed joy that with the service, BSUTH will soon be put on the map of teaching hospitals that are involved in IVF.