PAEDIATRICS DEPARTMENT

INTRODUCTION

Paediatrics Department covers children from birth to 15 years. The Department came of age in the year 2019 by taking over the Paediatrics complex at the permanent site of the centre, acquired equipment and services and had an accreditation visit from the West African College of Physicians. The Paediatrics Department is committed to providing individualized and developmentally suitable care for newborns, infants, children and adolescents within the setting of their families and community. With an Emergency Paediatric Unit, a Special Care Baby Unit, a Paediatric Medical Ward, Paediatric Specialist Clinic, Nutrition Clinics, Outpatient Clinics and (soon to be operational) Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, we are a vital resource for tertiary paediatric care in our locale (Azare and environs) and beyond. Our patients also have access to preventive, primary and secondary care as well as counseling.

It is headed by a Consultant Paediatrician Dr. Iragbogie Al-Mustapha Imoudu, FWACP with a team of other Peadiatricians on permanent and visiting capacity. There are also several Senior Registrars, Medical and House Officers as well as Paediatric Nurses.

Paediatric Ward Consultant Round
HOD Paediatrics and other doctors on Ward Round in the main Paediatric Ward. In the foreground is the Center's Dietician.

UNIT/WARD

  • Emergency Paediatric Unit
  • Special Care Baby Unit
  • Paediatric Medical Ward
  • Paediatrics Specialist Clinic
  • Nutrition Clinics
  • Out-patient Clinics
  • Paediatrics Intesnsive Care Unit

DETAILS OF CLIENTS

The department offers holistic medical services for children aged between first day of life to twelve (15) years and support services to their families. The department hope to increase the age with time to include 18 years as our manpower situation improves in orde to be in line with WHO defination of child and adolescence ages.

Baby in SCBU
A preterm baby being managed in an incubator in the SCBU.

SERVICES PROVIDED

Patients are seen as out-patients in the POPD from Monday to Friday and those requiring emergency in-patient care are admitted into the EPU, while those who are stable are admitted into the PMW. The SCBU caters for babies from age 0 - 28days.
There is a weekly specialist clinic, daily ward rounds including weekends, and a nutrition clinic. Emergency services are provided for 24 hours/day, weekly health promotion services, disease prevention, immunization and home management of common childhood conditions are also provided. The detailed service are:

  • Neonatal services
  • Emergency paediatrics Services
  • in-Patient Paediatric Care
  • Preventive paediatrics Services
  • Counseling Services

SCBU team
Consultant and medical team reviewing a child in the Emergency Paediatric Unit (EPU).

SERVICE DELIVERY

In line with the vision and mission of the centre, the department ensures qualitative healthcare delivery to all its clients. In doing so, adequate information is provided to care givers of its clients in a friendly, courteous manner and promptly.

WAITING TIME

The average waiting time in POPD after obtaining a card is approximately thirty (30) minutes, though triage is being carried out regularly by the doctors to identify those in need of urgent attention, while five minutes is the average waiting time in EPU.

GRIEVANCE REDRESS MECHANISM

The administration of the department is based on fairness and honesty and complaints on services by clients should be directed to the HOD or the other consultants in the department. Their phone numbers are made available on notice boards.

EDUCATIONAL AND RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

Weekly morbidity and mortality meetings are held in order to audit activities of the department in the past week. There are also bi- monthly perinatal mortality meeting, Grand rounds and seminars. Quarterly departmental meetings are also held. Research papers are being published in medical journals by staff of the department.

PMW Ward Round

STAFF STRENGHT

  • 4 Consultants
  • 1 Registrar
  • 1 PMO
  • 5 Medical Officers

HEAD OF DEPARTMENT

Dr. Iragbogie Al-Mustapha Imoudu, FWACP

The Department is headed by Dr. Iragbogie Al-Mustapha Imoudu, Consultant Paediatrician. He studied Medicine at the University of Benin in Benin City, Edo State. He has been practicing medicine for 16 years and is a Fellow of the West African College of Physicians (Paediatrics), and a Member of the interational Institute of Management.
He also holds a Masters' Degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy from the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria.