An arduous climb : from the creeks of the Niger Delta to leading obstetrician and University Vice Chancellor / by Kelsey A. Harrison.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Harrison, Kelsey A.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Obstetricians--Nigeria--Niger River Delta--Biography.

Obstetricians.

Educators--Nigeria--Niger River Delta--Biography.

Educators.

Niger River Delta (Nigeria).

Harrison, Kelsey A.

Physical Description:

389 p. : ill.

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

London : Adonis & Abbey Publishers Ltd., 2006.

Contents:

Cover

Dedication

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

INTRODUCTION

Chapter 1 ORIGINS AND CHILDHOOD IN ABONNEMA IN THE NIGER DELTA Many were strikingly ahead of their time

The Kalabaris and their social history

My birth and my given names

What Abonnema was like in my primary school days

Preschool days

Life at Owusara House and my primary school days

Work at the primary school

Recreational activities at the primary school

My teachers at the primary school

My contemporaries at primary school

Preparations for my secondary school education

My personal impressions of Kalabari traditions

Tales of my heritage

Chapter 2 GROWING UP IN GOVERNMENT COLLEGE, UMUAHIA, 1946- 1951

Summary of personal achievements

Living conditions

The influential teachers

On discipline

On Music

Further extracurricular activities

Academic achievements

One problem that would not go away

What I did with myself outside the college

The dying days

End piece

Chapter 3 UNDERGRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION AT THE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, IBADAN 1951- 1955 Small buildings, humble surroundings, few people, but with tremendous influence for good

Very early days in UCI

More observations on students and their backgrounds

The premedical years

Financial difficulties

College Scholarship

Preclinical years: permanent site

Public events and ceremonies

Pre-clinical years: academic work

My final year: academic work and the second MB examination

My final year: extracurricular activities at Ibadan

Holidays, a dangerous journey, and the vagaries of road transport in the 1950s

Friendships and those I admired

Preparations for departure to UK for clinical studies

Final departure for UK

Final thoughts.

Chapter 4 UNDERGRADUATE MEDICAL STUDENT IN LONDON, 1955- 1959 Fulfilment of hopes and expectations

Orientation

University College Hospital, London, and Medical School

Extracurricular activities in UCHL

Undergraduate clinical training

Self appraisal at the end of my first year and plans for the future

The degree examinations

The MB BS Examination results

Friendships

Keeping up with correspondence

House jobs and a memorable holiday in Germany

Chapter 5 TRAINING IN IBADAN AND LONDON FOR FUTURE RESPONSIBILITIES, 1960- 1964 It was a whale of a time

Some preliminary observations and impressions

Working conditions and experience at UCH Ibadan

Living conditions in UCH, Ibadan

Work again at UCH London

On studying for the MRCOG

The MRCOG examination

Life as a postgraduate in London

Chapter 6 A YOUTHFUL ACADEMIC IN IBADAN, 1964- 1972 Crushing disappointments, fierce determination to succeed: pioneers must always be prepared to struggle was the lesson learnt

The department of obstetrics and gynaecology in Ibadan

Research into blood volume and blood transfusion in severe anaemia in pregnancy

Abadina Domiciliary Maternity Centre

Abnormal haemoglobins and pregnancy

Diseases of the trophoblast

Nurses and Midwives lectures

Other researchers

Study leave

Last rites in Ibadan

Why did I leave Ibadan?

Chapter 7 NIGERIAN POLITICS, CIVIL WAR, AND CRISES UPON CRISES IN IBADAN AND ABONNEMA, 1960- 1971 The costliest mistake

The unrest in Ibadan and its effects on my career prospects

Personal loss suffered as a result of the conflict

Rehabilitation

The most painful crisis of all

Endpiece

Chapter 8 POST CIVIL WAR REHABILITATION OF THE MATERNITY SERVICES OF RIVERS STATE, 1969- 1971 Duty called.

Rehabilitation efforts: some preliminary considerations

Work done

More details on the work done

Experience of military encounters

Other activities

Proposal for a Government institute of maternal and child health at Port Harcourt

Chapter 9 A PIONEER OF SORTS IN THE ZARIA YEARS 1972-1981 Hard work and goodwill

result: huge success

Zaria: an overview

Organisation of the medical complex: faculty of medicine and Institute of Health

Early days in Zaria

The department of obstetrics and gynaecology as I found it

Short and-long-term plans for the department

Consolidation and expansion of maternity care services

Expansion of physical facilities

Acceleration of staff development

Fostering of research

Collaboration among clinical departments

Undergraduate medical training in obstetrics and gynaecology

Personal clinical experiences

Social life

More about administrative duties

Obstetrics and Gynaecology when I was dean and afterwards

Obstetrics and gynaecology in Kaduna

My last months in Zaria

Chapter 10 A DEAN IN THE ZARIA YEARS 1976-78 Kept going for real progress in an unusual academic environment

The search for solutions to structural and allied problems

What I was able to do

Membership of the faculty board and staff matters

Creation of the department of medical microbiology

A new curriculum for the MBBS degree

Progress in research and postgraduate training

Physical facilities

The group opposed to change and their activities

The gathering storm

What I was not able to do

Occasions for cheer

Perquisites

Visitors

welcome and unwelcome

Chapter 11 OF PERSONS AND MOMENTS DURING THE ZARIA YEARS They were all sorts

Unrest and tensions in Nigeria

Expatriates in ABU

The most supportive of colleagues.

My trainees in Zaria

Difficult persons

My public lecture: child bearing in Zaria

Controversies on appointments and promotions

The acme of the struggle for power in ABU

My health and related matters

Chapter 12 OVERVIEW OF UNIVERSITY OF PORT HARCOURT YEARS, 1981- 1998

Chapter 13 UNIVERSITY OF PORT HARCOURT: VICE CHANCELLOR 1989- 92 Achieved a cash surplus, fixed abandoned buildings, dead against impropriety, forced to resign

The physical structures, their deficiencies and improvements

More on wilful damage to physical facilities

The dreadful staffing arrangements

More revelations and gains

Administrative problems

Reflection

Chapter 14 UNIVERSITY OF PORT HARCOURT: MONEY AND CORRUPTION

Fraud in CORDEC

Multipurpose Building and Museum Building

Audit of degree certificates in the university since its inception

Admissions irregularities, admission fraud and extortion

The case of a stolen computer

Fraud in the Bursary: in payment of

The School of Graduate Studies (SGS)

Chapter 15 UNIVERSITY OF PORT HARCOURT: SECRET CULTS AND VANDALS Scary encounters

Origin of the secret cults

The position of secret cults in the University of Port Harcourt in 1990

A stabbing incident and its aftermath

Female students condemned secret cults

One troublesome year after another

The beginning of a major offensive against secret cults

Federal Government agents take the cults seriously

The trial of secret cult members

Secret cults fight back

Another storm before temporary calm

Parents of secret cult members

A truly scary tale

Hired assassins alias Diobu boys

Other aspects of

Other disturbances

And after: the storm broke again and again

End piece.

Chapter 16 UNIVERSITY OF PORT HARCOURT: EXPERIENCE IN ITS TEACHING HOSPITALS A serious business but funny at times and chaotic often

Clinical practice at Emuoha hospital

General Hospital Port Harcourt as temporary teaching hospital

Structural Adjustment Programmes (SAP), Health and Poverty

More on persons and events

The permanent teaching hospital

Chapter 17 THE ZARIA MATERNITY SURVEY, 1974-1985 At times, the odds were overwhelming

Zaria: the move towards data collection

Pregnancy cards and data collection

Improvement of facilities and the pilot project

Progress and problems in Zaria and the search for international financial support

Departure to Cardiff, Wales

At Cardiff

Interlude in Finland

Back to Cardiff and its difficulties

Collaboration with the Clinical Research Centre (CRC), Harrow

Return to Zaria and to more trouble

Through hell at the University of Port Harcourt

Childbearing, health and social priorities: the contents

Chapter 18 EDITING MATERNITY CARE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, 1980- 2001 Another ordeal successfully surmounted

John Lawson

Staffan Bergström

The Ethical Board of the Karolinska Institute

The role of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

Eventual success

Chapter 19 VVF (VESICOVAGINAL FISTULA) SAGA

Sowing the seeds

Ibadan experiences under John Lawson and his team

How it was in Zaria

Advocacy work on VVF: within the department and hospital, in the community, in the country

The international scene

The National Task Force on VVF

More memories

Chapter 20 ACCLAMATIONS Good times and moments of triumph

Duties when I was located at Ibadan

Duties when I was located at Zaria

Duties when I was located at Port Harcourt

Activities in international maternal health.

Association with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecology ( RCOG).

Notes:

Includes index.

OCLC:

811407993