THE STRATEGIC PLAN OF THE UNIVERSITY HEALTH SERVICES

I. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

The University Health Services came into existence in 1974 with four (4) Units and nine (9) staff. At that time, the student population stood at 500 and the total number of patients treated in the first year was 490.

The department was headed by Dr. (Mrs) T.I.N. Tasie and its first director Dr. Adolf Leligdowicz was appointed in 1980 and served until 1984.

The Health Services Department of the University of Jos as well as its counterparts in other Federally Funded Nigerian Universities has as its founding policy, the duty to offer free medical care to the University Community.

The University Health Services is a comprehensive Health Care Delivery System with a Prophylactic, Therapeutic, Promotive and Environment Friendly Outlook, sensitive to the needs of the society it services, which embraces students, staff, staff family, students family and other staff dependants.

It can and should do much more in terms of medical and health management as well as counseling to reduce students’ dropout, increase quality of both staff and students work output, by making the University Community and the environment a more wholesome and healthy place in which to reside, teach, work and research. To this end, the Health Centre continues to provide comprehensive services which can be broadly set down as follows:-

* Preventive Services - which include Screening, Immunisation Services, Health Education as well as Environmental Health and Safety.

* Curative Services- This is a general medical service and includes, Consultation and Examination Facilities, Pharmacy Services, Nursing Services and Treatment Facilities.

* Operating Facilities including , Circumcision, Incision and Drainage, Herniorrhaphy, Excision, Hydrocelectomy and Sectoral Resection for Fibrocystic Mastophathies.

* Emergency Services and Diagnostic Facilities including Routine Laboratory diagnosis, Medical Records, Administration and Sick Bay Facilities

Within the last 5 years these units have progressed far from rudimentary stages but are not yet full fledged. Also, the department has recently taken occupancy of a new clinic building being phase I of the proposed Health Services Department. It therefore still lacks certain necessary facilities which will be included in phase II. Viz:

- X-ray Department (Office, Record room, X-ray room, Developing room and store.

- Maternity Section Comprising antenatal unit, labour ward, post natal and neonatal units

- Environmental Health Department Office, Vaccination Area, Store and toilets.

- Standard surgical theatre

- Isolation rooms

- Laundry and Kitchen facilities and linen room

- Pharmacy store and general store

- Ambulance staff office

- Garage and cleaning store

- Conference room

- Common room and buttery for staff

The clinic at present serves a population of over 36,000 including students, staff and family.

Vehicles Needed over the 5 Years Period include, 2 Ambulances, 1 Hearse, 3 Refuse vans,

1 New staff car and 2 Cesspool dislogers

To nurture a health services unit which will be second to none in the Nigerian University System.

UHSS = University Health Service Strategy

Goal 1: Comprehensive strength in undergraduate programmes

UHSS 1.1 Provide first class health services for all undergraduates to enable them realise their full potentials.

Goal 2: First class postgraduate and professional programmes in a significant number of areas.

UHSS 2.1 Provide first class health services for all students in the professional and postgraduate programmes to facilitate excellent performance.

Goal 3: A quality academic and conducive working environment.

UHSS 3.1 Rehabilitate the clinic and make the plumbing system functional.

UHSS 3.2 Provide dental, laundry and isolation facilities.

UHSS 3.3 Foster the general improvement of infrastructural facilities.

UHSS 3.4 Foster the early resuscitation of the Surgery Unit.

UHSS 3.5 Support the change of free medical care and restructure the funding of Health Services by instituting a Health Insurance Scheme - a contributory insurance where the employer and employee contribute to Medicare in an acceptable ratio. This need not involve an insurance company but only an "Insurance Unit" within the University.

Goal 4: Academic and Administrative Staff of National and International Distinction:

UHSS 4.1 Support the continuous training and retraining of medical and other staff.

Goal 5: Effective and efficient utilisation of limited resources.

UHSS 5.1 Require the University to allocate to the Health Sector a fixed percentage of the annual budgetary allocation.

UHSS 5.2 Upgrade facilities to include dental services and reduce costs for the University, through the provision of an X-ray unit and a well equipped theatre for surgery.

UHSS 5.3 Provide an effective and efficient ambulance service.

Goal 6: Increased provision and use of information technology

UHSS 6.1 Computerise the medical records and other units of the University Health Services.

UHSS 6.2 Provide an efficient communication system (telephones and intercom) to fetch doctors on call duty and to render help in emergencies.

Goal 7: Decentralisation and Transparency in Administration

UHSS 7.1 Introduce a health services board to supervise the administration of the unit.

UHSS 8.1 In collaboration with the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, run a Small Scale Manufacture and Compounding Unit.

UHSS 8.2 Run a commercial Laboratory Service for the local community at modest prices.

UHSS 8.3 Commercialise the services of the refuse van.

Rehabilitate the clinic and make the plumbing system functional.

Resuscitate the Surgery Unit

Make full Internet services available and ensure adequate and continuous supply of electricity through cooperation with the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA)

1999 to 2001:

Establish a Departmental Computer Laboratory and complete computerisation of the Unit.

2000 to 2003:

In collaboration with the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, run a Small Scale Manufacture and Compounding Unit.

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