Department of Paediatrics

Department of Paediatrics

The uniqueness of our specialty-Paediatrics and the wide-ranging subspecialties anchors on the diverse developmental age categories of children and scope of services we provide to promote health, prevent diseases/injuries, and treat diseases/injuries in children. Inclusive of premature and term newborns at birth, infants, toddlers, young child, older child, adolescents and young adults within the ages 0-18 years. In school and out of school children and during their transition to young adulthood (18-21years). We pride ourselves on this privilege and awesome responsibility of nurturing today’s children, who are tomorrows adults and leaders!.

Children differ from adults anatomically, physiologically, immunologically, psychologically, developmentally, and metabolically. Helping children in their uniqueness to attain their full biological, physical, psychological, mental and social potentials remains our ultimate goal.

We accomplish these laudable goals by promoting health, preventing disease//injury and managing any disorder that may occur. This overarching goal is fundamental to our core mandates of medical education, patient care, research, community and child global health engagements.

We partner with individuals, families, communities, primary health centres and networks, schools, foster homes, medical homes, government and non-governmental agencies, professional groups, foundations and other stakeholders in both public and private sectors to achieve our goals and objectives to provide access to healthcare to children in our neighbourhood communities and everywhere!.

We hope you will be inspired by our vision, mission, values, goals and objectives to join us in this awesome responsibility of caring for todays children everywhere, who are tomorrows adults and leaders!

Our Vision is to be competitive and visible locally, nationally, regionally and globally in our core mandates of medical education, patient care, research, community and child global health through strategic planning and partnership with the private and public sectors.and advocacy

Our Mission is to be a reference point and leader in the following:
Transforming paediatric medical education across it’s continuum of undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing medical education.
Providing quality patient care that is safe, effective and evidence-based, timely, patient-centred, efficient, and equitable
Conducting and disseminating cutting-edge translational and life-course, multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary, clinical, basic and population research.

Brief History of the Department of Paediatrics

The Department of Paediatrics was established in 1963 to provide holistic care for every child in health and sickness, train medical and other healthcare professionals, conduct and coordinate hospital and community-based research within and without, in collaboration with allied specialties and subspecialties. Professor W. R. F (Bob) Collis, an Irishman, was the founding Head of Department (1962-1966). He along with foundation staff had been recruited from the University College, Ibadan (later University of Ibadan). Bob Collis later went on to establish the Department of Paediatrics at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria along with another foundation staff, Dr. (later Professor) Ishaya Audu. Professor Collis was succeeded by Professor Olikoye Ransome-Kuti, who served as the first indigenous Head of Department. Together with pioneer staff, Professor Ransome-Kuti, established strong community outreach programs with health centres at Gbaja and Randle and developed community-based research child health and paediatrics in collaboration with international organizations including Rockefeller Foundation, a United-States of America-based prestigious private organization. It is on record that buildings at the then Randle Health Centre were constructed and established in 1964 from grants from the Rockefeller Foundation.

From a humble but auspicious beginning, our pioneer faculty contributed to the development of healthcare and other sectors of the economy locally, nationally, regionally and internationally. The conceptualization of the need for Primary healthcare was developed by Professor Ransome-Kuti from his experiences of the futility of seeing children die in our children’s emergency room after presenting too late. The leadership qualities of our staff from inception have been demonstrated by the high offices held. They include: Prof. Olikoye Ransome-Kuti and Prof. Adenike Grange, as Honorable Ministers of Health. Professor Ishaya Audu was a former Minister of External Affairs as well as being a former Vice Chancellor of ABU, Zaria and Prof Fatiu Akesode (former VC-LASU) among several others.

Past Head of Department

  • Professor WRF Collis
  • Professor Olikoye Ransome-Kuti
  • Professor Iqbal Ahmed
  • Professor Akinboye Lesi
  • Professor Sam Olowe
  • Professor Femi Fadahunsi
  • Dr. (later Professor) Oluyinka Ogundipe
  • Dr. (later Professor) Adenike Grange
  • Dr. Adegboluga Adenuga
  • Dr. (later Professor) Matthias Egri-Okwaji
  • Dr. (later Professor) Edna Iroha
  • Dr. (later Professor) Adebola Akinsulie
  • Dr. (later Professor) Afolabi Lesi
  • Professor Edamisan Temiye
  • Professor Christy Okoromah
  • Professor Abiola Oduwole (current)

Our Philosophy and Core Values

  • Integrity and justice
  • Excellence and distinction
  • Quality and safety
  • Transparency and precision
  • Diversity and equity
  • Creativity and innovation
  • Global competitiveness and visibility
  • Research and scholarship
  • Multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary approach

Specialities

  • Cardiology
  • Endocrinology/ Metabolic/ Adolescents Medicine
  • Heamatology / Oncology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Dermatology
  • Emergency Paediatrics
  • Gastroenterology/ Nutrition
  • Neonatology/ Perinatology
  • Neurology
  • Nephrology
  • Respiratory