Rivers

RSUTH Records Milestone On Foetomaternal Medicine

Published

2 years ago

October 25, 2023

The Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH) has recorded another milestone following last Friday’s unveiling of the first-ever Foetomaternal Medicine Unit in Rivers State and one of the very few in Nigeria.
This indicates a significant stride towards advanced healthcare for expectant mothers and their unborn children.
The inauguration ceremony was held on the 20th of October, 2023, and marked a historic moment in the region’s medical landscape.
The Foetomaternal Medicine Unit, a state-of-the-art facility, aims to provide comprehensive care to pregnant women and their babies, addressing a wide range of complex maternal and fetal conditions.
Equipped with cutting-edge technology and staffed by highly skilled healthcare professionals, the unit is poised to become a beacon of hope for mothers in the region, ensuring their well-being and that of their newborns.
The Acting Chief Medical Director (Ag. CMD) of Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Prof Chinzindu A. Alikor, expressed his enthusiasm about the new unit, saying, “this milestone achievement underscores our commitment to enhancing maternal and child healthcare in Rivers State and in Nigeria at large.

Prof. Chinzindu Akubudike Alikor, Ag CMD, RSUTH

“The Foetomaternal Medicine unit will be a centre of excellence in Nigeria, where referrals from other centres will be sent, post-fellowship training and sub-specialisation in Foetomaternal medicine will be conducted, our Resident doctors will be trained, and, to crown it all, impactful research projects will be carried out”.
He thanked the State Governor for his commitment and ongoing support to improving healthcare delivery for Rivers people, which, he said, has motivated the creation of the Foetomaternal Medicine Unit in RSUTH.
Prof Mkpe Abbey, a renowned Professor of Foetomaternal medicine and community obstetrics, who will be leading the unit, shared his vision, saying, “Regarding practical services, the unit will revolutionise the practice of feotal medicine in the country.
“Women will be screened for preterm birth, pre-eclampsia, Fetal Growth restriction, chromosomal abnormalities, congenital abnormalities in general, Twin-to-Twin Transmission Syndrome (TTTS) in monochorionic pregnancies and placenta accrete spectrum.
“The whole idea is to screen for those conditions that kill babies and mothers early in pregnancy so that prophylactic measures can be put in place.
“Preterm birth is associated with more than 50 percent of foetuses and babies that die. Pre-eclampsia/eclampsia is responsible for more than 25 percent of babies and 25 percent mothers who die.
“So, a situation whereby we screen for these conditions and prevent more than 50 percent of the deaths that would have occurred is a great feat in the healthcare landscape of the State.
“The unit will conduct evidence-based growth monitoring, including doppler studies such as Umbilical Artery Doppler, Middle Cerebral Artery, and Ductus Venosus, predict babies that are likely to die and recommend earlier delivery.

“The unit will also run early pregnancy and gynaecological ultrasound services as including One-stop early pregnancy services for early pregnancy bleeding and Etopic Pregnancies, one-stop screening for Gynaecological Oncology, namely, checking for Endometrial thickness and Endometrial biopsy with the availability of pipelle.
“Furthermore, the unit will develop to be specialised feotal medicine units, including feotal surgery, and also strive to be a centre for International Ovarian Tumor Analysis (IOTA) study and guidelines in Nigeria”.
“The Foetomaternal Medicine Unit at RSUTH stands as a testament to the region’s progress in healthcare.
“Its opening signifies a new era of advanced medical care, providing hope and assurance to countless expectant mothers and their families”, the Acting CMD stated.

By: Sogbeba Dokubo

Rivers

MCDI Inducts 150 Professionals In PH

Published

20 hours ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

The Mentoring and Career Development Institute of Nigeria (MCDI) has inducted about 150 new members into various categories of membership during a special induction ceremony and dinner in Port Harcourt.

Aimed at expanding the institute’s membership base, the event offered new inductees an opportunity to engage with senior members and integrate fully into the organisation’s professional network.

The induction ceremony was part of the 2025 national conference of the institute.

National President of MCDI, Dr. Collins Edebiri, administered the oath, while the new members promised to carry out their duties faithfully, following the institute’s rules and constitution.

Dr. Edebiri emphasised the institute’s core mandate of instilling values that will shape individuals and institutions.

He emphasised the theme of the conference, “Mentoring for Individual and Corporate Leadership”, noting that last year’s focus centred on national development and value reorientation.

Edebiri explained that the induction ceremony is a key feature of the institute’s annual conference, though inductions also occur quarterly.

On the criteria for membership, he said the most important factor is the desire to be mentored or the readiness to mentor others, and urged the new inductees to become ambassadors of value-driven leadership in their respective workplaces.

Guest Speaker at the ceremony, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, who was a former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), shared her experiences from her early days in journalism, attributing much of her professional growth to strong mentorship.

She encouraged members to embrace mentorship as a catalyst for personal and societal advancement.

Seminitari was later presented an award.

New members, including Wisdom Egberi Woniepiriye, and Mrs. Grace Ajinwanyiekwu, expressed their excitement and hope to be mentored well so they can eventually mentor others.

There were a dinner and networking session, marking another success for MCDI in its efforts to build leadership values nationwide.

By: Theresa Frederick & Charity Amiso

Rivers

Fisherman Gets Thumbs-Up Over Patent Creation

Published

20 hours ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) has commended a renowned fisherman, Mr. Ricky Brown Owunari, for what it described as a remarkable stride in global engineering content creation.

In a congratulatory message signed by the Association, weekend, the SPE said the patented “Dewaxer Flow Enhancer and Downhole Tool” had secured official endorsement under U.S. Patent No. 12,448,868 B2.

They said the development has been highlighted as a significant indicator of Rivers State’s growing intellectual and technological capacity, with observers noting that such breakthroughs position the state as a rising hub for innovation.

According to those familiar with the innovation, the achievement serves as proof that Niger Deltans have moved beyond the era of militancy and are now producing world-class content, research outputs, and technical solutions.

The SPE officials described the patented technologies as timely tools designed to tackle wax deposition in crude oil wells, a major challenge that frequently disrupts production and increases maintenance costs.

They further stressed that the milestone underscores the need for Rivers State to invest more in supporting innovators whose works demonstrate global potential.

Industry experts revealed that the tool originated from years of field observation, experimentation, and rigorous research aimed at improving flow assurance in challenging well conditions.

They also urged the Federal Government to show greater appreciation for home-grown innovations, calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to formally recognise and encourage technological breakthroughs emerging from the Niger Delta.

Stakeholders at the event warned against piracy, emphasising that unauthorised copying of patented technologies undermines national progress and discourages genuine innovators.

Analysts observed that the breakthrough strengthens the narrative of a new Rivers State built on creativity, content development, and technical excellence rather than conflict.

The session concluded with a call for stronger collaboration between government authorities and industry players to protect intellectual property and position Rivers State as a greenhouse for innovation-driven content.

The content, The Tide gathered, is expected to solve critical challenges in the oil and gas sector, as well as other relevant areas of the national economy.

By; King Onunwor

Rivers

NBA Seeks End To Mass Abductions, Targeted Killings

Published

20 hours ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has warned against mass abductiond and targeted killings in Nigeria.

President of the NBA, Mazi Afam Osigwe, who gave the warning, noted that Nigeria was faced with a growing wave of violence following fresh attacks in Kebbi and Borno States.

The association issued the warning after terrorists attacked the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga on November 17.

According The Tide’s source, the gunmen killed a teacher and abducted at least twenty-five students during a shootout with security personnel.

The President said the latest attack shows the country has become unsafe for schoolchildren and civilians.

He further noted that Nigeria also lost Brigadier General M. Uba earlier that day in an ISWAP ambush in Borno State.

According to Osigwe, the nation was witnessing a rise in terrorism, kidnapping, and lawlessness that has overwhelmed security agencies, adding that rural communities, travellers, farmers, and security officers are all exposed.

The NBA President also warned that Nigeria was facing a dangerous breakdown of public safety.

Quoting recent reports, he said about 145 people went missing in mass abductions across Kebbi, Niger, and Zamfara within four days.

“The country must stop recording deaths while hoping for peace through negotiations with terrorists”, he said.

The NBA further revealed that recent intelligence alerts, including the DSS warning of ISWAP plans to strike in Ondo and Kogi, show a widening threat.

Osigwe questioned why terrorists still control forests and highways without challenge, with criminals levying taxes on communities, displace families, and attack convoys.

The NBA demanded an urgent national security overhaul with transparency and strong political will.

Osigwe, however, praised the teacher who died in Kebbi while protecting students.

By; King Onunwor