From Bashir Rabe Mani, Sokoto
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Professor Murtala Muhammad Ahmad as the seventh substantive Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), Sokoto.
The appointment was conveyed in a letter signed by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate.
According to the letter, Professor Murtala’s appointment is for an initial four-year term, effective October 20, 2026. He succeeds Professor Anas Ahmad Sabir, who completed his two-term tenure in May 2026.
Congratulating the new CMD, Pate urged him to demonstrate effective leadership and justify the confidence reposed in him by President Tinubu.
He also charged him to work closely with relevant stakeholders to strengthen healthcare delivery and ensure that the hospital continues to provide quality and responsive medical services to Nigerians.
Professor Murtala’s appointment marks another milestone in the history of UDUTH, as he becomes the second alumnus of Usmanu Danfodiyo University to head the institution as Chief Medical Director.
With more than two decades of experience in paediatrics and child health, the new CMD brings extensive clinical, academic, research and administrative expertise to the position.
He obtained his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree from Usmanu Danfodiyo University before earning a Fellowship of the West African College of Physicians (FWACP) in Paediatrics.
He also holds a Professional Diploma in Education from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, alongside specialised certifications in paediatric electroencephalography, health leadership, management and public administration from the University of Cape Town, the University of Washington and the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON).
In his academic career, Professor Murtala rose through the ranks from Lecturer I to Senior Lecturer, Reader and eventually Professor of Paediatrics.
Before his appointment, he held several strategic administrative positions at UDUTH and the university. He served for four years as Deputy Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee (Training), where he contributed to improving residency training and medical education programmes at the hospital.
He also served as Deputy Director of the Institute of Child Health and Faculty Examinations Officer in the Faculty of Clinical Sciences. He represented the faculty on the University Senate and served as Acting Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee and Acting Chief Medical Director on several occasions.
Beyond administration and teaching, Professor Murtala has contributed to public health initiatives and specialised medical research in Sokoto State and across Nigeria.
His professional engagements include participation in maternal and perinatal death surveillance and response programmes, as well as serving as a national trainer on the management of severe acute malnutrition.
A prolific researcher, he has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, with research interests covering child health, child neurology, epilepsy and other paediatric conditions.
He is also actively involved in mentoring medical professionals and postgraduate students, contributing to the development of the next generation of healthcare practitioners.
His appointment is expected to bring his wealth of clinical experience, academic expertise and institutional leadership to the administration of UDUTH.
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