The Place of Government Tertiary Hospitals in a Developing Country: The Story of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital

Abstract

The University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH), Uyo, is not one of the first-generation teaching hospitals. The story of this hospital is included in this book because it is a story of hope – hope in the sense that with determination, despite humble beginnings, something good, useful, and great can be obtained from something that appears small at the beginning. UUTH was not even conceived as a Teaching Hospital, but the foresight in setting it in a strategic location seems to have made the hospital attractive enough to the Federal Government of Nigeria to convert it into a Teaching Hospital of its university called the University of Uyo. This hospital has adequate grounds that have been fenced to provide security and discourage any form of encroachment. Physically, the hospital has not fully occupied the space available for the small initial hospital. Although it is not as established as the original teaching hospitals, UUTH has achieved a lot and, has weathered many storms and is still standing and getting stronger. It is the only teaching hospital in Akwa Ibom State (an oil-producing State in the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria.) The presence of this hospital has helped address the healthcare needs of residents in the 31 local government areas in Akwa Ibom State.