Community Medicine is a system in which a comphrensive health care is delivered to the people by a health team in order to improve the health of a community. It is also known as an art and science for preventing diseases, promote health and prolong life through the organize efforts of the society.
Department of Community medicine was established in Abia State University i1993 with Dr Ibekwe as the pioneer Head department of Community Medicine The department of Community Medicine was located at the academic block College of Medicine of Abia State University Teaching Hospital which was then located at the terminal end of Hospital Road Aba. Dr Mrs J C R Eluwah as appointed a Lecturer 1 in September, 1996 and later appointed Head, Department of Primary Health Care on completion of Part 11 Fellowship of West African College of Physician in Community Medicine in 2002. She was also appointed an honorary consultant of the Teaching Hospital in 2002. She became the first Senior Lecturer of the department having been promoted to the rank of Senior lecturer in 2005. She was the first lecturer of the department to go for Sabbatical leave which she did in Department Medicine in University of Uyo from 2006 to 3008. Dr Eke Reginald was appointed Lecturer 1 in 1998 and honorary consultant of the Teaching Hospital. Dr Ibekwe handed over the headship of department of Community Medicine to Dr Mrs J CR Eluwah in 2004 and Dr Eke Reginald was appointed the Head, Primary Health Care. The department of Primary Health Care was collapsed into department of Community when Dr Mrs J C R Eluwah went for Sabbatical Leave at University of Uyo and Dr Reginald became the Head Department of Community Medicine in 2006 and he handed over to Dr Mrs J C R Eluwah the headship in 2008 when she returned from the Sabbatical leave in 2008. Dr J C R Eluwah continued the headship of the Department until 2012 when she retired and converted as a contract staff as a Senior lecturer of the University. Dr Ijeoma Nduka was appointed lecturer 1 of the department in February 7th 2012. Under the headship of Dr Mrs J C R Eluwah,Dr Ngozi Ekeke qualified as a fellow West African College of Physician, Dr P E N Onyemachi qualified as a member West African College of Physician, Late Dr Mrs Damaris Onwuka obtained MPH, Dr Mrs. Cynthia Ngozi Ekeleme and Carol Ejiro Iwuoha qualified as members of West African College of Physician. The department produced the first member to be Chairman Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC) of Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba in the person of Dr Mrs J C R Eluwah Before retirement, Dr Mrs J C R Eluwah handed over the headship of the department to Dr Ijeoma Nduka in 2012 with nine resident doctors.
Under the headship of Dr Mrs. Ijeoma Nduka, the department relocated from Teaching Hospital old site to college block College of Medicine, Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Abayi, Osisioma LGA. The department covers Heart to Heart, Public Health Museum, General Out-patient Department, Rural outpost at Nenu, Urban outpost at Comprehensive health centre at Aba South LGA. Dr Mrs. Ijeoma Nduka was the first member of the department to be Project Officer of Heart to Heart. Dr Mrs Ijeoma Nduka as the head of the department to two reaccreditation exercises and gained then namely National University Commission and West African College of Physician in 2014. She handed over to Dr. P E N Onyemachi the headship of the department in March 2016 and who is the present head of the department. She also handed over the position of the Project Officer to Dr. Ngozi Cynthia Ekeleme. Under her headship, a member of the department in the person Dr Ijeoma Nduka became second member of the department to be promoted to the rank of Senior Lecturer and second member of the department to become Chairman Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC).
Under the headship of Dr P EN Onyemachi, Drs N C Ekeleme and Alozie George Ikpe, Awa Madu and Patrician Ejikem qualified as fellows of West African College of Physicians, Dr Carol Ejiro Iwuoha qualified aa a fellow of Postgraduate College of Physician. Drs Enukeme Uju Juliet, Iwe Chigozie Eke, Nwaimo Kingsley, Rita Agulana and Chika Emmanuel Azumah qualified as members of West African College of Physicians. Many members of the department were promoted namely Dr Ijeoma Nduka became the member to be promoted to a Reader being the first in the department to be so promoted and First Professor of the department even though that was awarded by River State University, Port-Harcourt. A member of the department in the person of Dr P E N Onyemachi become the third member to be promoted to the rank of Senior Lecturer. Dr P E N Onyemachi became second of member of the department to be promoted to the rank of a Reader. Drs N C Ekeleme and Carol Ejiro Iwuoha were promoted to the ranks of Senior lecturers. During this period also, NHIA Unit was added to the department and the Head of the department was appointed the Desk Officer Abia State Health Insurance Agency (ABSHIA) Courtesy of ABSUTH CMD Prof Mrs. Ijeoma Nduka. For the first time a member of the department in the person of Dr Mrs. Carol Ejro Iwuoha was appointed as a contract staff World Health Organization (WHO). For the first time a member of the department was appointed the Chief Medical Director in the person of Prof Ijeoma Nduka.
Presently the following are the members of the department.The members are grouped into three (3) groups namely : Full-Time Lecturers, Part-Time/Adjunct Lectures and Resident Doctors
The HIV Clinic (Heart-to-Heart) began as far back as 2008 when it was being supported by GHAIN which was later called the SIDHAS Project executed by FHI 360 in 2012. It then transited to the Nigerian government (National Agency for the Control of AIDS, NACA) between 2013 and 2014. Abia and Taraba states were the two pilot states where NACA began the project. Abia State was being supported by the State Planning and Implementation Unit (SPIU). By September 2021, a new implementing partner, Catholic Caritas Foundation of Nigeria (CCFN) with sponsorship by the CDC took over the project in Abia State. At the completion of their 4-GATES project, the ACCESS project was adopted by September 2022 which is targeted at sustainable solutions to end the HIV epidemic in the state.
The Heart-To-Heart Clinic is domiciled in the Community Medicine department where it serves for the rotation postings in Epidemiology and Infectious diseases for both Medical students and Resident doctors. The Clinic is also a pre-requisite for accreditation visits of the MDCN and the WACP. The Paediatrics department in ABSUTH runs the Paediatrics ART Clinic on Wednesdays while the adult ART Clinic run by the Community Medicine department, are on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The Heart-to-Heart functions in partnership with the TB clinic which is supported by the National TB, Leprosy and Buruli ulcer Control Agency as well as the German Leprosy and TB Relief Association (GLRA). It is worthwhile to note that treatment with antiretrovirals (ART) and anti-TB drugs comes free of charge as well as the diagnostic laboratory investigations such as GeneXpert test, the gold standard for TB diagnosis. While a sputum sample is required for GeneXpert test for TB diagnosis in adults, a stool sample can be used for diagnosis of TB in children who are unable to produce sputum. The various functional units of the Clinic include; The ART Clinic, HTS unit, Records unit, M & E unit, CD4/HIV Lab unit, Adherence & Counseling unit, Pharmacy unit, Tracking & Retention unit, PMTCT unit, Triage/Cervical cancer screening unit, Index testing unit, TB DOTS Clinic, Admin/Finance unit, Referral unit and the Genexpert Lab.
The Chief Medical Director is the Project Manager of the ABSUTH SMOH HIV/AIDS PROJECT supported by the CCFN while the Project Officer oversees the day-to-day running of the Clinic.
Over the years, the Department of Community Medicine, ABSUTH, Aba has been unrelenting in maintaining one of her primary objectives of ensuring that it keeps itself, in particular, the government of the day, and then, the medical community generally, abreast of extant and emerging trends in the public health space. As the then Head of the Community Medicine Department, the current Chief Medical Director of Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH) Aba, Professor Nduka Ijeoma, deployed public health advocacy extensively in this regard to shore up required interest and commitment to research in public health matters including TB and HIV/AIDS...
