by Christiana Gokyo, Jos
Director of Clinical Services of the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Jos, says the process of establishing the Clinical Services Department began when they were asked to start the Outpatient Department, adding, “That was why, on the 12th of May, 2025, we officially began outpatient services.”
According to him, “Since then, we have made progress. So far, we have attended to 736 patients and, today, with great joy, we are commencing full orthopaedic services, not just partial operations.
“This means, we are opening our wards, starting operations in the theatre, and activating our Accident and Emergency Unit.”
He recalled that, “The vision of this hospital is to deliver excellent and sustainable clinical services in musculoskeletal and trauma care. In line with this vision, our mission is to build generations of mobile people, who can walk freely without pain, a healthy and functional population in the face of increasing musculoskeletal challenges.
“These challenges are on the rise, and as a National Orthopaedic Hospital, we are determined to respond effectively by providing the following services:
Outpatient Department services, which have already commenced; Emergency medical care through our Accident and Emergency Unit – commonly called “Casualty, Trauma” care services, especially for injuries involving the limbs, spine, upper and lower extremities; Reconstructive Surgery, with the capacity to reconstruct any part of the joints, particularly those of the limbs, and Joint replacement surgeries, including partial and total hip replacements, knee replacements, shoulder replacements, and other joint reconstruction procedures,” he stated.
Others, he said include: Limb lengthening and reconstruction for patients who require correction or reconstruction of limbs; Spine surgery, offering both trauma and non-trauma spinal interventions; Paediatric orthopaedics, providing care for children, as trauma and musculoskeletal disorders also affect the paediatric age group, and Sports medicine and arthroscopy, treating sports-related injuries and performing minimally-invasive joint procedures.
Dr. Wujika further explained that, “Beyond these, our medical laboratory is fully equipped and staffed to serve both inpatients and outpatients, as well as external clients who may require our diagnostic services.
“We also provide physiotherapy, prosthetics and orthotics, and pharmaceutical services to support patient recovery and rehabilitation,” he noted.
The Director Clinical Service further explained that “Patients who, due to trauma or other circumstances, have lost limbs, we are able to fabricate and fit artificial limbs to restore their mobility, because we want everyone to walk on their own feet.”
He said, their team comprises highly-trained orthopaedic consultants, led by the Medical Director, Professor Icha Inalegwu Onche, alongside five other consultants who will be admitting patients and supervising surgeries.
“We also have a number of medical officers, including senior medical officers, who will support clinical operations,” he explained.
According to him, their nursing team is well-trained, with several nurses already specialized in orthopaedic and trauma care, while others are undergoing further training to enhance their capacity.
He also revealed that, they have on ground a clinical psychologist to provide psychosocial support for patients and staff, as well as medical social workers who assist patients in coping with their conditions and accessing needed support.
He noted that, “None of these would be possible without our dedicated administrative and technical staffs, who play vital roles, behind the scenes, to keep the hospital running smoothly.”