Introduction
The Jos University Teaching Hospital is a top-tier tertiary hospital in Nigeria, located in Lamingo, Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State. Jos is a city in the North Central region of Nigeria, with a population of about 900,000 residents based on the 2006 census. Jos, popularly called “J-Town”/Tin City, is situated almost at the geographical centre of Nigeria and about 179 kilometres (111 miles) from Abuja, the nation’s capital, and is linked by road and air to the rest of the country. It is the administrative capital and largest city of Plateau State. At an altitude of 1,217 m (3,993 ft) above sea level, the climate of Jos is characterized by the mildest temperature compared to the rest of Nigeria. Average monthly temperature ranges from 21-25°C (70-77°F), and from mid-November to late January, night-time temperature could drop as low as 7°C (45°F). Hail sometimes falls during the rainy season because of the cooler temperatures, and these cooler temperatures have from colonial times until the present day, made Jos a favourite holiday location for both tourists, and expatriates based in Nigeria.
A Brief History
The Jos University Teaching Hospital was established in June 1981, formally recognized by an Act of Parliament, with the mandate to provide tertiary and referral services, medical research, education and training. It has 672 bed capacity, twenty-four (29) Clinical Departments, thirteen (13) Non-Clinical Departments, two (2) Comprehensive Health Centres, one Annex Clinic, and an Outreach Team to the immediate JUTH community. Presently the Hospital has over two thousand five hundred (3000) Staff comprising of Consultants, Resident Doctors, Medical Officers, Nurses, Pharmacists, Physiotherapists, Medical Laboratory scientists, Nutritionists, Hospital Administrators, Engineers and other categories of Staff.
JUTH has a high concentration of skilled medical professionals in different areas of medicine, as well as other skilled health professionals in different areas of practice. This explains the reason why JUTH is always the focus for many referrals from different States of the Federation, especially the neighbouring States including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
From a humble beginning of about 300 beds, JUTH has been upgraded, and is involved in the training of hundreds of Resident Doctors across various Specialties, and also boasts of an Amenity Clinic and Ward, In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Centre, functional Laboratories, Radiodiagnosis, Oncology, and Renal Dialysis facilities, among others. Various members of staff have made significant contributions to the advancement ofknowledge in major areas of medical science, notably in the area of open -heart surgery, cochlear implant, and in-vitro fertilization. The Jos University Teaching Hospital has pioneered Cochlear Implant Surgeries, supported by MED-EL International. Another major breakthrough for the institution was the successful conception via In-Vitro-Fertilization (IVF) and delivery of the first baby in April 2021, with subsequent successful deliveries of many babies which has brought succour to many families.
