Yobe Specialist Hospital performs landmark jaw reconstruction surgery in north-east Nigeria

NIGERIA—The Yobe State Specialist Hospital has successfully performed a highly specialized segmental mandibulectomy with reconstruction, marking a major milestone for healthcare delivery in North-eastern Nigeria.

The procedure, carried out in Damaturu, represents the first time such an advanced maxillofacial surgery has been conducted in a state-owned hospital in the region.

Doctors performed the surgery on a 40-year-old woman diagnosed with mandibular ameloblastoma, a rare but aggressive tumour that affects the jawbone.

A segmental mandibulectomy involves removing part of the lower jaw to remove diseased tissue, then reconstructing the affected area to restore both function and appearance.

According to the hospital’s Chief Medical Director, Professor Usman Abba Giedam, the operation included advanced reconstruction using metallic reconstruction plates and an iliac crest bone graft harvested from the patient’s hip bone.

He described the achievement as a major step toward expanding access to specialized and tertiary healthcare services within Yobe State.

Team of specialists leads complex procedure

The surgery was led by Dr. Muhammad Ayuba Fusami, a Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, alongside Dr. Peter Umejiego and other members of the surgical team.

Hospital management said the successful outcome reflects the growing number of highly trained medical professionals now working within the state’s public healthcare system.

Professor Giedam confirmed that the patient is recovering well and responding positively to post-operative treatment.

He noted that, until recently, patients requiring such procedures often had to travel outside the state or region for treatment, resulting in delays, financial strain, and increased medical risks.

Expanding healthcare capacity in Yobe

The development comes amid broader healthcare investments by the Yobe State Government under Governor Mai Mala Buni’s administration.

Earlier this year, the state government announced the recruitment of 2,500 healthcare workers and the upgrade of several general hospitals, including the Damaturu facility, into specialist healthcare centres.

In April, the state also approved major healthcare projects worth ₦5.5 billion (US$3.5 million), including the supply and installation of dental equipment at the Specialist Hospital Damaturu, renovation of healthcare facilities, and expansion of medical infrastructure across the state.

The hospital has continued to strengthen its specialist services following the commissioning of an 80-bed ultra-modern pediatric complex in Damaturu last year, a project designed to improve maternal and child healthcare services in the region.

Hospital management said the institution remains focused on professionalism, advanced clinical training, and expanding specialized healthcare services for residents across Yobe State and neighbouring communities.