By Elizabeth Ameh
The University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) has expressed readiness to partner with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Borno State Council, to promote healthcare delivery and enhance information flow across communities in the state.
The new Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Professor Farouk Buba, disclosed this on Tuesday, 21st October, 2026, when executive members of the NUJ paid him a congratulatory visit at the UMTH Board Room, Maiduguri.
The new Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Professor Farouk Buba. Credit: Advocatus Africa.
Professor Buba appreciated the Union for the visit and said collaboration with the NUJ had become critical to sensitize the public on the importance of early presentation in hospital for proper and timely diagnosis.
He said UMTH remains the largest hospital in West Africa with about 1,065 bed spaces and over 12 specialized centres, adding that the hospital recently improved its facilities with a fertility centre built and equipped with support from the North East Development Commission (NEDC).
According to him, no fewer than 100 women have already been screened at the centre and would soon commence antenatal care.
The CMD commended his predecessor, Professor Ahmed Ahidjo, for transforming the hospital in the last eight years, describing him as the first Interventional Radiologist in West Africa.
He also lauded members of staff who remained on ground and rendered services during the height of insurgency.
Professor Buba noted that UMTH won the Best Public Health Facility award in 2024, 2025 and 2026, assuring that management would sustain the feat. He promised to collaborate with the Union to promote training for health correspondents.
Earlier, the Chairman of the NUJ, Borno State Council, Comrade Abdulkareem Haruna, congratulated Professor Buba on his well-deserved appointment, describing it as a testament to his dedication, professional excellence and visionary leadership.
The Chairman of the NUJ, Borno State Council, Comrade Abdulkareem Haruna. Credit: Advocatus Africa.
Comrade Haruna commended the hospital for its heroic and resilient role during the insurgency, where it served as a beacon of hope, saving countless lives and managing mass casualties under daunting conditions.
He said the visit was to reaffirm the long-standing cordial relationship between the NUJ and the hospital and to explore areas of partnership, including strengthening the hospital’s information dissemination ecosystem.
The NUJ Chairman also appealed to the CMD to support the establishment of an NUJ Chapel in UMTH to enhance professional development and capacity building for information officers, and solicited the hospital’s support in organizing training workshops for health correspondents for accurate and impactful health reporting.
