LANDMARK ACHIEVEMENTS

The University College Hospital, Ibadan was the first institution in Nigeria to produce sterile products use for her patients. The production of infusions including intravenous fluids (i.e. normal saline, 5% dextrose, Hartman’s solution, dialyzing fluids-which were packaged in plasmosan bottles, smaller injections like Morphine sulphate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium chloride- which were filled in empty streptomycin and penicillin bottles), eye drops, nasal drops dates back to1952 as stated in the 1953 handing over note of Mr. M. Ritchie who pioneered the pharmacy department of the University College Hospital, Ibadan. Mr. M. Ritchie, a Briton was in charge of the then Western region and was working at the Adeoyo hospital. Mr. F. A. Callisto OFR, A Nigerian was the first superintendent pharmacist to be enjoyed from England to head the pharmacy department of the newly established University College Hospital, Ibadan. With advancement in technology, the use of bottles, rubber bungs and aluminum caps for the productions of large volume infusions could not be continued. However, the production of small volume infusions/injections e.g. sodium bicarbonate, potassium chloride, magnesium sulphate nasal drops have continued to date and this is unique to the University College Hospital, Ibadan pharmacy department. With the advent of the Public Private Partnership initiatives of the Federal Government, the hospital is now in the process of producing large volume of infusions e.g. normal saline using the latest technology of form-fill-seal technique using polypropylene materials. In the 1960’s the work on cell cultures commenced in the World Health Organization centre for Immunology at the University College Hospital, Ibadan by an expatriate but this was handed over to late Prof Osunkoya who later handed this project to late Prof Williams and later at his retirement the late Prof Salimonu took over. However, cell culture research stopped in 1981 because of lack of reagents and the poor financing of the health sector. In the late 1970s’, the University College Hospital pioneered out open heart surgeries in Nigeria. More recently with the refurbishment of the operating theatres and the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital, the UCH reactivated open heart surgery with performance of 3 open heart surgeries successfully with assistance from their colleagues in the United States of America. Three decades of medical research 1948-1980 published in 1984 listed 24,0006 Scientific papers done from research activities at University College Hospital. Most of these papers were published in both local and international learned journals and were landmark discoveries the papers covered various aspects of medicine ranging from medical subject e.g. Anatomy, Biochemistry, Physiology etc., to Clinical subjects such as Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Pediatrics etc. U.C.H. Since 1994, U.C.H. has been performing the transurethral dissection of the Prostrate (TURP) and in 2005 organized the first national training workshop for all relevant cadres. Between 1995 and 1996, the University College Hospital has successfully carried out Charnley hip replacement and Johnson and Johnson knee arthroplasties.

The University College hospital acquired 2 adult arthroscopes 2 years ago and to date 12 knee arthroscopic surgeries have been carried out successfully.  Prof. Temitayo Shokunbi of the ‘nail in the head’ fame also successfully commenced neuroendoscopic procedures in children with brain lesions. The newly established nuclear medicine department, the first ever in the country has commenced bone scanning services using radioactive pharmaceuticals. This service is available both for medical and oncological diagnosis and treatment. Diagnostic medical endoscopy of both upper and lower gastrointestinal tract have been done at the UCH. Since the 1980’s the newly refurbished endoscopy unit has broadened the scope with services that now include fibre optic endoscopy of the oesophagus.