THE PROJECTS
In the rural areas of Nigeria live some of the poorest people in the world, and in 1992, the Wesley Guild decided that it should seek to re-establish the task of supporting primary health care within Nigeria as it had originally done in its early years at Ilesha in 1912. Since then support has grown within the Guild movement, the wider church, Christian Guild Holidays, other organisations and from individuals. Today we are financially supporting 10 hospitals, clinics and health centres, three centres for mentally ill homeless people, two leprosy centres, one motherless babies' home and one orphanage.
NHCP is also committed to assist in the training and education of health workers. We support a School of Health Technology, which trains community health extension workers and we are actively involved in promoting a nurse training school.
In the meantime there is much to be done and requests for support in other areas.
Click for more details of:
 |
 |
| Click on this map to enlarge it, and for an A3 size PDF version |
Hospitals
Methodist Hospital, Omuo-Ekiti, Ekiti State
.JPG) |
|
Ekiti welcome |
Esther with Margaret |
In 1992 the Centre was the first to be funded by the Nigeria Health Care Project and this involvement coincided with the arrival of midwife Sheila Wray. In the next two years much was achieved and the centre was approved by the state as a hospital. After Sheila’s departure the hospital struggled, but by perseverance, good local administration and Victoria’s skills, the hospital improved once again. Biennial visit 2010We were saddened to find the hospital in a less good state during the 2010 visit. There was no functioning management committee and we sensed there had been a loss of vision and purpose. We were encouraged to hear that there is a new bishop in the diocese who has committed himself to re-establishing a management team for the hospital. It was good to see Esther again, who is now walking well on her prosthesis. |
|
Bethesda Hospital, Ikachi, Otukpo, Benue State
(See also Bethesda Orphanage)
 |
|
|
Twins at Bethesda |
||
The hospital was opened in 1963 by Dutch missionaries and doctors. In 1989 it was transferred to Methodist Church Nigeria when the Dutch decided to focus their work in Nigeria to other areas. It has been difficult for Methodist Church Nigeria to fund the hospital adequately so it has often been in crisis. However it is a much loved and much needed establishment in a remote part of the country. This 120 bedded hospital treats and cares for patients with a wide variety of conditions including tuberculosis, diabetes, epilepsy, orthopaedics, HIV/AIDS. The hospital also has four peripheral clinics. The maternity service at the hospital is particularly valued by the local people and Sister Comfort Eka provides great continuity as matron. A few years ago there were huge problems with the hospitals finances and many staff were unpaid for long periods. There has been considerable progress recently with the appointment of a new administrator and a more effective management team. Biennial visit 2010Staff morale has improved and the salary arrears have been reduced. The hospital was looking much smarter in 2010 than on our previous visit but is still under-used. The hospital has a Youth Corps doctor but would benefit greatly from a senior Nigerian doctor to provide longer term medical staffing. Other priorities are a permanent and reliable water supply, a refurbished operating theatre and an ultrasound machine. At a follow-up visit in January 2011, David Cundall was delighted to see great improvements in the water supply for the hospital and an air-conditioning unit in the operating theatre. An ultrasound machine has been installed, using funds raised by Beeston Methodist Church, Nottingham. |
||
Wesley Guild Hospital, Ado-Odo, Lagos State
Wesley Guild Hospital, Ado-Odo |
Wesley Guild Hospital, Ado-Odo, Entrance |
(Click on a picture to enlarge it.) |
|
 The water tank and borehole |
|
These premises were originally built to house a diocesan youth centre, but it was later felt that the need for medical facilities was more important and we were asked to provide funds for conversion of the premises, provide equipment and to employ medical staff. The hospital is situated in the small but important town of Ado-Odo, near Badagry, where the major occupation is farming. Within a 15km radius are no less than 15 small communities with no medical facilities. The problems in setting up the hospital were greater than anticipated and there have been difficulties with supervision and retention of staff. Biennial visit, 2010During the 2010 visit we were encouraged to find that a borehole had been completed so the hospital has a reliable water supply. Some steps have been taken to work more closely with the government health services who are keen to link the work of the hospital with primary health care in the area. There are still major concerns about the staffing of the hospital, a visiting consultant travels 100 kilometres and the new staff on site were untrained. The ultrasound machine had been mended after having been out of action for five months. Ado-Odo is a relatively short distance from Lagos and we were very pleased to hear that the Lagos Wesley Guilds are prepared to offer time and resources to enable the hospital to fulfil its potential. We were encouraged to find a renewed commitment from the management committee. Local people have not yet experienced much benefit from health care provided at Ado-Odo but we hope to see big changes soon. Since our visit a comprehensive plan has been made by the management team and some funds have been raised by the Lagos Wesley Guilds so we look forward to further progress. |
|
Royal Cross Hospital, Ugwueke, Abia State
(See also Proposed Nurse Training School at Royal Cross Hospital, Ugwueke)
Dr Hans van den Corput |
(Click on a picture to enlarge it.)
The new operating theatre to replace the old one.
|
Water treatment facility at Royal Cross |
Chief Paul Okorie, chairman of the management committee
|
Royal Cross Hospital is busy |
 Royal Cross Children's Ward |
The premises were originally intended for a circuit cathedral, but the need for medical facilities was deemed to be the greater priority and so we were given the large partially built premises to complete as a hospital. Due to the enthusiasm of the Bishop of Uzuakoli, the Rt. Revd Chris Ede, the dedication and skill of a Dutch doctor, Hans van den Corput, and the skilled and experienced administrator, Chief Paul Okorie, who is Chair of the Management Committee, this hospital, which was opened in August 2002, has grown beyond our wildest dreams.
As a result the hospital is highly regarded throughout Eastern Nigeria and people are travelling long distances to receive treatment. The hospital now has over 100 beds and is very busy, reflected by the 33% increase in locally generated income from the treatment of almost 30,000 patient attendances in 2009. The Governor of Abia State had seconded three doctors to work with Dr van den Corput and is an active supporter of the development of a School of Nursing linked to Royal Cross Hospital (see ‘training of health workers’)
Thanks to the generosity of a local donor, the new maternity unit is almost complete. The hospital has also received a substantial donation of equipment funded by the Methodist Church in Britain.
The Nigeria Health Care project has given money which will be used to help complete the laboratory. Chief Paul Okorie, the hospital administrator reports that patients have to go all the way to Umuahia for lab tests. A functioning laboratory at the hospital will be another major step forward for patient care at Royal Cross.
 |
 |
The maternity building almost completed; the doors, windows and tiles have been fixed |
The new laboratory building at lintel level |
Click on a picture to enlarge it |
|
Click here for Biennial Report of January 2008
Beautiful Gate Methodist Hospital, Ozuitem, Uzuakoli, Abia State
This new hospital was dedicated on 1 November 2007. It has developed quickly as a ‘child’ of Royal Cross Hospital and continues to need some support from the Royal Cross staff. The new building was well on its way to completion when we visited early in 2010. This includes surgical facilities as well as ward accommodation so that people with less complicated surgical problems will not need to be transferred to Royal Cross Hospital. The local people are enthusiastic supporters of Beautiful Gate Hospital.
The new building at Beautiful Gate (Click on the picture to enlarge it.)
Click here for Biennial Report of January 2008
Chijoke Osogho Memorial Hospital, Item, Item Diocese, Abia State
This hospital was built, equipped and donated to Methodist Church Nigeria, by Sir (Chief) Ndukwe Osogho Ajala a native of Item, in memory of his sister, who died from Sickle Cell Anaemia. It is an 18 bedded hospital with a modern surgical theatre, labour room, pharmacy, medical laboratory, scanning and ECG machines and generator. This is the only hospital which serves the nine villages of Item
Dr Rebecca Ochuni Igwe and Rev.Patrick Ekpenyong and the management team have done well to increase the range of services at the hospital. There has been successful outreach work with the local community. There has been a significant increase in the numbers of patients attending (January 2011). New staff quarters are almost complete, thanks to the generosity of the benefactor.
Item introductions (Click on the picture to enlarge it.)
Click here for Biennial Report of January 2008
Methodist Hospital Ogoli Ugboju, Otukpo, Benue State
This was originally opened as a clinic in the 1970’s when Grace Mortimer worked there as a midwife. It was drawn to our attention in the year 2000, in a very sad state of repair, without any trained medical staff, either nurses or doctor.
We were asked to provide funds to repair the premises, provide equipment, drugs etc. to allow them to appoint trained medical staff.
It was almost three years before we were able to make any financial contribution, but the trust they had in us to support them gave hope, encouraged the people to make repairs to the premises and look at ways they could improve the situation themselves.
With funds much has been achieved, not least a new vision and enthusiasm.
During the 2010 visit we were pleased to find that the hospital now has a dedicated Youth Corps doctor who is able to provide some continuity of medical staffing
The new 20 bedded ward is under construction, but now has a roof on. As well as completing this building there is a need for a reliable water and electricity supply.
In January 2011, the hospital received an ultrasound machine as a result of funds raised by Beeston Methodist Church, Nottingham. One of the staff from the hospital received initial training with the machine at Bethesda Hospital.
Click here for Biennial Report of January 2008
Ogoli Ugboju welcome 2010 |
 |
Patients waiting to see the visiting doctor at Ogoli Ugboju |
New Ward at Ogoli Ugboju |
(Click a picture to enlarge it.) |
|
Health Centres
Dr Andrew Pearson Memorial Medical Centre, Igbo-Ora,
Elekuro Ibadan Diocese, Oyo State
New buildings opened December 2006 |
|
|
 Midwife Victoria with recent arrivals. |
Patient with newborn child (Click on a picture to enlarge it.) |
|
A clinic was opened here in the 1960’s by Dr Andrew Pearson. It had been revitalized by Dr Yombo Awojobi but is still functioning well below its capacity and needs to re-invigorate its links with the local community. When we visited in 2010 there had been some improvements in the buildings |
||
Damishi Health Centre, Kaduna Diocese, Kaduna State
|
Damishi 2010 |
Damishi, which is quite close to the city of Kaduna, has been through a difficult patch when it had to close through lack of staff. However, we were encouraged that a senior health extension worker has been able to return to run the centre and we were very impressed with her ability and commitment. A minister from the village has now been posted there and is passionate about continuing to develop the work. Since the centre re-opened three months ago there has been a rapid increase in the numbers of patients and the numbers of babies delivered as the skills of the health worker become known in the locality. Electricity and water supply are both problematic but it was good to see the strength of local support. As we were inspecting the premises, we were ourselves inspected by Fulani cattle-herders who were passing by. |
Galadima Health Centre, Kaduna Diocese, Kaduna State
 |
 |
Galadima welcome 2010 |
Galadima 2010 |
Set in the dryer lands to the East of Kaduna, Galadima is expanding its work. They saw 63% more patients last year. The centre is still under-utilised, particularly the maternity services although we were glad to see some of the babies born there last year. Two of the four permanent staff are deaconesses as well as health workers. We felt that their sense of vocation was helping to sustain the work in this relatively remote setting. The staff were supervised and supported by a senior nurse deaconess from Kaduna who visits every fortnight to encourage and advise. This is a model of supervision and support which works well and could be followed elsewhere. We felt that Galadima would benefit from the posting of a Youth Corps doctor and look forward to seeing continuous improvement in the years to come.
Kamuru Health Centre, Kaduna Diocese, Kaduna State
This small centre is currently closed due to staffing problems
Bukuru Clinic, Jos Diocese, Plateau State
Bukuru clinic was severely damaged during the ethnic violence in Jos shortly before our visit in 2010. We do not know whether it will be practical to re-start health work in or near Jos.
Mental Health Projects
Centre for Mentally Ill Homeless People, Amaudo Itumbauzo, Uzuakoli Diocese, Abia State
|
Amaudo water pump |
The primary work of the centre was founded in 1990, by Ros Colwill, OBE, who has been a mission partner in Nigeria for many years. The model of care developed at Amaudo was the first of its kind in Africa and continues as a beacon of good practice in the rehabilitation of people with mental illness. The permanent site for ‘Ozuzu-Oke’ (which means wholeness in the Igbo language) was dedicated by His Eminence, Dr Sunday Ola Makinde GPJ CON, Prelate, Methodist Church Nigeria, on January 17th 2011. Amaudo consists of Amaudo Okopedi, the community centre, which is home to up to 65 homeless mentally ill adults. The aim is to rehabilitate the person back to their family and community. Amaudo Ntalakwu is a smaller community for residents who are unable to be rehabilitated home for one reason or another. Some live independently and others, for example with learning difficulties have more intensive support. Project Comfort is a community-based service for disabled children and young people. The Community Mental Health Programme (CMHP) now extends across five Nigerian States and continues to expand. Community Psychiatric Nurses are trained to provide community care by clinics and home visits. The Community Mental Health Awareness Programme is closely affiliated to CMHP and trains village health workers in mental health awareness and human rights issues. The volunteers work closely with the psychiatric nurses. Ros Colwill now lives in Umuahia and is developing a spiritual direction centre. Click here for Biennial Report of January 2008 Click here for the website of another support charity, Amaudo UK |
|
Edawu Community Mental Health Care Project, Ainu, Igede Diocese, Benue State
The Nigeria Health Care Project provided funds to build and equip this Centre, which is based on the ‘Amaudo’ mode, although from the outset greater emphasis was placed on treatment in the community. The house for the welfare officer is complete, as is the new toilet block. Edawu supports mobile clinics in two neighbouring states as well as Benue State. NHCP grants are mainly towards running costs and salaries but Edawu has ambitious plans to become self-sufficient, partly by making good use of their land. We saw the beginnings of an oil-palm plantation which was funded by a specific gift from the UK. Edawu has a strong link with Accept in the UK and the Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust: website http://www.hopecc.org.uk |
(Click on a picture to enlarge it.)
The church at Edawu, built with funds from the World Church Office of the Methodist Church in the UK. The church is central to the work of Edawu, but it is also the circuit church for the surrounding area
The pump—a vital water supply for Edawu and their neighbours in the villages nearby |
 Ex-patient now on the staff at Edawu |
The new house for the Welfare officer, John Angwa, is now completed |
Health and Restoration Centre for Psychiatric Illness,
Agboke-Oglewu, Otukpo Diocese, Benue State
At Agboke |
New accommodation at Agboke |
Blessing the new building |
During the 2010 visit we saw the opening of an amenity ward block and witnessed the well-equipped occupational therapy workshop. Its use is limited because of the unreliable electricity supply for some of the equipment. There is now a functioning borehole. We met a newly arrived resident who was already feeling better as a result of the care she was receiving. As with the other mental health projects it was clear that there was strong local support. |
||
Orphan Care
Motherless Babies Home, Uzuakoli, Uzuakoli Diocese, Abia State
It is a sad fact that many women still die in childbirth in Nigeria, and of course, some children are orphaned for other reasons. The Motherless Babies Home continues to do good work in providing care and there have been considerable improvements in the buildings and facilities since our last visit. The home is run by Mary van den Corput, the wife of Dr van den Corput and is in the grounds of the Uzuakoli Leprosy Centre.
The home does not have its own water supply and various options are being considered for the home and the Uzuakoli site as a whole. We hope to see further improvements, particularly in nursing supervision, play facilities and continuity of care for the children so that they may develop more secure attachments. We have observed the transformation to community-based orphan care that has occurred at Bethesda (see below) and believe that this is a model which might be worth considering at Uzuakoli.
Click here for Biennial Report of January 2008
Bethesda Orphanage, Ikachi, Igede Diocese, Benue State
Bethesda Orphanage now has almost three years experience of “Community-Based Orphan Care” so that babies are returned to their local communities within six weeks, accompanied by a carer from their own family, often a grandmother or aunt. The project continued to support the care of the babies for the first two years of life, with food supplies and regular visits to check on their progress. This has been a radical change with beneficial consequences for the emotional lives of the children and their acceptance back into their own communities. One of the biggest expenses is the provision of formula milk.
The orphanage now has more buildings than it needs and is considering income-generating options for the future.
Click here for Biennial Report of January 2008
Leprosy Care
Leprosy Centre, Uzuakoli, Abia State
(Click on a picture to enlarge it.)
Two residents who were rehabilitated,
Leprosy, although now easily treatable
|
This centre was set up by the Primitive Methodist Church in 1930. At that time leprosy sufferers were expelled from their villages and abandoned to live as best they could in the bush. By the 1950’s the Centre had become a major research and treatment hospital which housed 5,000 sufferers and families, and was responsible for 20,000 others in isolated villages throughout the region. Improved treatment has made a tremendous difference to this illness and how people are generally treated at home. The stigma attached to the disease largely dissipated through education. Over recent years the main task has been to rehabilitate long term patients and their families, many of whom are severely disabled by leprosy, and train them in a skills which will enable them to provide an income for their families. When this process is complete, they are provided with the tools of their trade and a small house in the area from which they originated. There is another small group of people here who are either too infirm or elderly to be able to live independently and we make a small grant each year towards their care. A German leprosy charity (GLRA) has also encouraged the development of community-based rehabilitation for people with disabilities other than leprosy. The next stage for Uzuakoli may be to make it a base for training others in community-based rehabilitation.
|
Training of Health Workers
School of Health Technology, Ebenta, Igede Diocese, Benue State
Albert Onda was the inspirational Provost of Ebenta School of Health Technology. Tragically he was killed in a road traffic accident in August 2011. He will be greatly missed.
|
The microscopes in use in the biology lab |
(Click on a picture to enlarge it.) |
|
Many of the smaller hospitals and health centres that we support are staffed by community health extension workers, who are trained in Schools of Health Technology. The School at Ebenta is therefore doing a vital job and we were particularly impressed with the energy and vision of the Provost and the enthusiasm of the students. When we visited at the beginning of 2010 there were 83 students on roll, some studying for two years and some for three.
It is very encouraging to see the rapid progress with building projects at the School. Both the biology laboratory and the demonstration clinic are now complete. Four microscopes were recently donated by Leeds hospitals and are now in use at Ebenta.
Click here for Biennial Report of January 2008
Proposed Nurse Training School at Royal Cross Hospital, Ugwueke
There has been important progress in the development of this institution and we were delighted that His Eminence, Dr Sunday Ola Makinde GPJ CON, Prelate, Methodist Church Nigeria, was able to arrange a meeting with the Governor of Abia State during our 2010 visit. Some firm commitments were given and we look forward to more rapid steps towards the opening of a school of nursing. There is a real need for qualified nurses who are prepared to work in church health facilities.
The hostel for the nursing students has been donated by a local philanthropist and building work will commence early in 2011.
Ultrasound Training at Bethesda Hospital
 |
Dr J.B. Puddicombe teaching ultrasound at Bethesda Hospital (Click on the picture to enlarge it.) |
During January 2011, Dr JB Puddicombe, Medical Advisor to Methodist Church Nigeria, and an experienced ultrasonographer, was able to provide initial training in obstetric, gynaecological and abdominal ultrasound. Four staff from Bethesda Hospital, one from Ogoli-Ugboju and one from Item
were enthusiastic learners. Dr Puddicombe had recommended the use of ultrasound as it improves patient care and can also generate income for a hospital. We were fortunate to find two reconditioned ultrasound machines
at a very good price for Bethesda and Ogoli-Ugboju Hospitals. These were donated by Beeston Methodist Church, Nottingham.
On the last day of training (using two machines) 29 patients were scanned.
We hope to be able to provide some follow-up training to consolidate and expand the skills of those trained.
In-service training for Community Health Extension Workers
 |
Community Health Extension Workers at Bethesda Hospital after in-service training with Dr David Cundall and Dr Puddicombe
(Click on the picture to enlarge it.) |
At the same time as the ultrasound training, Dr David Cundall was able to provide in-service training for twelve Community Health Extension Workers from Bethesda Hospital and its Primary Health Centres. These staff rarely get an opportunity for in-service training. The content of the course was decided by the participants and reinforced by a printed course booklet. The group plans to continue to meet and has co-opted the Provost of the School of Health Technology at Ebenta to assist. We hope to find some more learning materials to support them.