TELL Magazine

Dr. Abali Chuku is a post-independence child having been born on November 23, 1962 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. He hails from Amaeke Item, Bende Local Government in Abia State.

He had his primary education at Bruce Grove Primary School, Tottenham, England, from 1971 to 1974. Young Chuku enrolled for his secondary education at Northumberland Park School, Tottenham, in 1974. The following year, he returned to Nigeria and was admitted at the famous Mayflower School, Ikenne, Ogun State, a first-class secondary school famous for its scholarship as well as the antecedents of its founder, the late Dr. Tai Solarin, where he completed his secondary education in 1980. He came out in flying colours having earned distinction (A1) in 10 subjects and therefore earned Aggregate 6. Aggregate 6 is the maximum any candidate can make if he scores A1 in six subjects. The same year (1980) he secured admission to read Medicine at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, graduating in 1986 with MBBS.

Dr. Chuku’s career trajectory is dotted with significant landmarks. He first began as a house officer at Queen Elizabeth Specialist Hospital (now Federal Medical Centre), Umuahia, in 1986. He was the doctor in charge, Rural Health Centre, Kafin Koro in Niger State, and later as medical officer, City Clinic, Suleja/Kafin Koro Annex, all between 1987 and 1989. He later relocated to Lagos in 1989 and was engaged by Legus Specialist Hospital, Igbobi, as a medical officer. He worked for only one year and joined the services of Life Support Medical Centre, GRA, Ikeja, also as a medical officer and worked from 1990 to1992. He obtained an Associate Fellowship of the Postgraduate Medical College at the Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria in 1992.

He returned to Enugu in 1992 and was appointed Registrar, Ophthalmology at the Department of Ophthalmology, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital. He grew progressively and rose to the position of Chief Resident Ophthalmologist in 1994. He occupied this position until 1996 when he was appointed Consultant Ophthalmologist, Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Umuahia.

Dr. Chuku later proceeded to West African College of Surgeons and obtained the Fellowship of West African College of Surgeons in 1996.

By 2000, he became Consultant Specialist Grade II and later Consultant Specialist Grade I, Ophthalmologist also at the FMC, Umuahia, in 2004. He was the Head of Department of Ophthalmology at the FMC, Umuahia, for 14 years.

The icing on the cake of Dr Chuku’s soaring career was his appointment in May 2011 as Medical Director, FMC, Umuahia.

In the course of his career, Dr. Chuku has, over the years, also carried out assignments at different levels or fora either as chairman of ad-committees or member of many committees. Between 2003 and 2007 he was the Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, FMC, Umuahia. He also held the underlisted positions concurrently during the same period.

• Chairman, Laboratory Services Commercialised Committee
• Chairman, X-ray Services Commercialised Committee
• Chairman, Drug Revolving Fund
• Chairman, Housing Committee
• Chairman, Servicom
• In 2008, he was appointed Chairman, Anti-Corruption and Transparency Monitoring Unit, FMC, Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission. He holds the position to date.
• In 2009, he was appointed Co-ordinator, Abia State Programme for Prevention of Blindness. He still holds the position.

Dr. Chuku is a member of the following professional bodies:

• American Academy of Ophthalmology (2004)
• Oxford Ophthalmology Congress (2009)
• Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria
• Glaucoma Society, Nigeria

He has attended many professional courses, training programmes, seminars, and conferences in both Nigeria and abroad, including American Academy of Ophthalmology Conferences which he consistently attended from 2004 to 2011. He is also a recipient of many awards including:

• Best handwriting (1973) Bruce Grove Primary School, Tottenham, England.
• Second Prize, Musical Instrument Design of the Future, Northumberland Park School, Tottenham, England (1975).
• Mayflower School, Ikenne Roll of Honours 1980 (Distinction in 10 subjects).
• Best Resident in Ophthalmology, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu 1980.
• Dr. Chuku is also a recipient of a number of international education awards, such as American Academy of Ophthalmology in 2008. In 2012 Dr. Chuku received yet another international Scholar Award this time for commitment to life learning on Ophthalmology, by the same American Academy of Ophthalmology.

He is an Honorary Fellow, Chartered Institute of Purchase and Supply Management, Nigeria, the first to be so honored from the South-east

Dr. Chuku has undertaken numerous researches in his field in Medicine and has published widely in learned medical journals. His extra-curricular activities include chess, table tennis, music, reading and poetry.

Dr. Chuku as a visionary, is on a medical mission, to position FMC, Umuahia as a Centre of Excellence, second to none among its peers. He is happily married with three children.