Benue varsity hospital records first successful IVF birth

The Benue State University Teaching Hospital Makurdi has recorded it first In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) delivery at the Muhamadu Buhari Mother and Child Annex.

Stephen Hwande, the chief medical director (CMD), disclosed this Thursday while briefing journalists at the hospital’s auditorium.

The CMD stated that Benue State University Teaching Hospital is the first among public hospitals in northern Nigeria to record the IVF success, and the cheapest all over the country at the rate of N400,000 as against N5,000,000 and N2,000,000 elsewhere.

Hwande emphasised that the subsidisation of the IVF is a deliberates act of the Governor Hyacinth Alia-led administration to ensure that the masses get the cheapest healthcare services.

He stressed that Alia’s government is a government of the masses as such, it has introduced a policy of treating Benue Pensioners free of charge by issuing patients cards for free, giving them medical consultations for free and as well giving them bed treatments for free leaving them with only drugs bills to shootout.

The Medical Director who commended the Governor for voting the sum of N82 billion in the 2025 annual budget for health, added that over N20 billion is for Benue State University Teaching Hospital.

He said that the previous administration left behind a bulk load of salary arrears amounting to over N800 million, but 80 percent of the arrears has been cleared in the 21 months of the incumbent government. Benue State University Teaching Hospital Staff are among the highest paid teaching hospital staff in Nigeria, he added.

He disclosed that Benue State government has released the sum of N1.6 billion for installation and supply of water at Benue State University Teaching Hospital while the VIP section of the hospital is currently undergoing renovation. He noted that cancer treatment will commence in the hospital soon.

“The hospital also handles fertility care perfectly with successful birth delivery at the rate of five thousand naira (#5,000) only in a program known as ‘ Help of Mother and Baby’s which is part of social corporate services for the Benue masses,” he said.