News from Garkida Hospital, North Eastern Nigeria

Leprosy Mailing List, April 19th, 2008

Ref.: News from Garkida Hospital, North Eastern Nigeria
From: Barminus G. A., Jimeta-Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria


Dear Dr Noto,

Thank you for including me on the leprosy mailing list. I am currently working with the State Dermatology Hospital in Garkida, Adamawa state, which is in the North Eastern part of the Nigeria, bordering the Cameroon. It was established by the Church Of The Brethren (USA) in 1929. Dr Roy Pfaltzgraff worked hear for 28 years before he retired. The hospital is now a government institution since 1976 when it was taken over from the missionaries. It was converted to a dermatology hospital in 2004 for the purposes of integration but its main roll remains, that is providing services for people affected by leprosy.

Using the 2007 figures, 515 cured cases visited the hospital for one medical problem or the other, while 42 new cases were diagnosed during the same period. This figures are very small compared to what it used to be.

Yours sincerely,
Dr Augustine Barminus
Jimeta-Yola
Adamawa State
Nigeria