A fully functional molecular laboratory has been established at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital in Makurdi. It is capable of conducting tests and investigations in the areas of B group streptococcus nucleic acid, Chlamydia Trachomatis nucleic acid, Ureaplasma Urealyticum nucleic acid, human mycoplasma nucleic acid, and gonococcal nucleic acid.
During the facility’s opening ceremony, Dr. Stephen Hwande, the Chief Medical Director, who has worked tirelessly to reposition the facility as a beacon of medical excellence, stated that the Laboratory is only one of several pieces of technology that will help the facility become a world-class tertiary hospital.
The CMD said, “to achieve the above aim therefore, the introduction of a community health college to provide the hospital and the state with the required man power, the upgrade of obsolete facilities, and the procurement of more ambulances to enhance emergency services, has been carried out”.
“The laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art machines, ensuring 100% accurate test results. My desire of making the hospital a one-stop facility, providing ultimate service delivery to patients in line with the hospital’s vision and mission”, Dr. Hwande pointed out.
A molecular laboratory is a type of medical laboratory that focuses on the detection and examination of proteins and genetic material (DNA or RNA) in order to track and diagnose medical conditions. It is essential in many areas, such as research, genetic testing, infectious disease management, cancer diagnosis, and treatment.
With the addition of this molecular laboratory, the hospital’s capabilities have significantly increased, bolstering its standing as a premier healthcare facility and allowing it to treat and diagnose patients more quickly and accurately.
When Governor Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia summoned Dr. Stephen Hwande, who has an impressive medical record in private practice, for a rescue mission, BSUTH was on the edge of collapse. In just over six months, there has been a massive improvement in service at the hospital.