In addition to working with our own Evangel hospital, I have the privilege of working with staff from Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH). It is the center for academic medicine here in the Plateau State. It is a tertiary referral center where most medical and surgical specialties are represented. When I remove a tumor from a patient, we give the specimen to the family and ask them to take it to the pathology department at JUTH.
The Ear, Nose, Throat (ENT) department is
relatively new and growing at JUTH. It is headed up by an energetic and bright surgeon, Dr. Samuel Adoga. He just returned from a 40 day course in India to learn some advanced ear procedures. He spent his own money for the trip. I am encouraged by his drive and perseverance as he hones his own skills as well as advances his department. He has three residents training under him and his two associates.
A future JUTH ENT consultant is Dr. Adekwu, who will finish his training and exam in April and join the department. We have come to know Dr. Adekwu first through his daughter. Our youngest daughter Camille is a close friend of his oldest daughter, Emiene (“Emmy”). They are in class together at Hillcrest School. In addition, we just travelled across the country with Dr. Adekwu when we went to the national ENT meeting.
Dr. Adekwu is an inspiration to me. Despite his hardships, he maintains a positive outlook and is a loving father to his three children. He grew up in a small village, but managed to come to Jos to attend medical school. He was in practice for a while and then went back to train as an ENT surgeon. He has a great interest in hearing preservation and testing. His family has suffered many tragedies. In 2001, there was a much larger crisis in Jos. He was sheltering Muslims in his medical office and consequently his facilities were burned down. Two years ago, he lost his wife to severe burns she suffered as she was saving their youngest child in a house fire. This past September, he and his children were held at gun point during an armed robbery in their home here in Jos. Any one of these events would be an unusual life event for an American physician, but Dr. Adekwu just moves on.
My Nigerian friends inspire me. They have a sincere faith in God and truly want to make a difference in their families and their communities.
Michael Mitchell, MD
The Ear, Nose, Throat (ENT) department is
relatively new and growing at JUTH. It is headed up by an energetic and bright surgeon, Dr. Samuel Adoga. He just returned from a 40 day course in India to learn some advanced ear procedures. He spent his own money for the trip. I am encouraged by his drive and perseverance as he hones his own skills as well as advances his department. He has three residents training under him and his two associates.A future JUTH ENT consultant is Dr. Adekwu, who will finish his training and exam in April and join the department. We have come to know Dr. Adekwu first through his daughter. Our youngest daughter Camille is a close friend of his oldest daughter, Emiene (“Emmy”). They are in class together at Hillcrest School. In addition, we just travelled across the country with Dr. Adekwu when we went to the national ENT meeting.
Dr. Adekwu is an inspiration to me. Despite his hardships, he maintains a positive outlook and is a loving father to his three children. He grew up in a small village, but managed to come to Jos to attend medical school. He was in practice for a while and then went back to train as an ENT surgeon. He has a great interest in hearing preservation and testing. His family has suffered many tragedies. In 2001, there was a much larger crisis in Jos. He was sheltering Muslims in his medical office and consequently his facilities were burned down. Two years ago, he lost his wife to severe burns she suffered as she was saving their youngest child in a house fire. This past September, he and his children were held at gun point during an armed robbery in their home here in Jos. Any one of these events would be an unusual life event for an American physician, but Dr. Adekwu just moves on.
My Nigerian friends inspire me. They have a sincere faith in God and truly want to make a difference in their families and their communities.
Michael Mitchell, MD
1 comment:
What a privilege to work with these dedicated ENT doctors...
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