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In a routine but significant diplomatic-security exercise, the United States Embassy in Nigeria has carried out a detailed assessment of the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH) in preparation for an upcoming visit by a high-powered American delegation to Benue State.
The inspection, which took place today, 5th December 2025, focused on the hospital’s readiness to manage any medical emergencies involving Very Important Persons (VIPs) during the delegation’s stay.
Led by the Embassy’s Regional Security Officer, Mr. Edward Panico, the American team toured critical sections of the teaching hospital, including the Radiology Department, the VIP Smart Clinic, and the Accident and Emergency wards. The visit was aimed at verifying that BSUTH possesses the infrastructure, equipment, and protocols necessary to provide rapid and high-quality care should any member of the visiting delegation require medical attention.
Speaking at the end of the inspection, Mr. Panico expressed satisfaction with the condition of the facility under the leadership of the Chief Medical Director, Dr. Terungwa Stephen Hwande. He described the exercise as a standard security and safety protocol that the U.S. Embassy undertakes whenever it anticipates the arrival of top-level officials in any part of its host country.
The U.S. team was received and guided round the hospital by the Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee, Professor Michael Agbir, and the Acting Head of Public Relations and Protocol, Mr. Moses Tsenzughul.
While the exact date and composition of the high-level delegation remain undisclosed for security reasons, sources indicate that the visit is part of broader bilateral engagements between the United States and Benue State, possibly involving senior U.S. government officials or congressional representatives.
The successful assessment is being viewed as another vote of confidence in the steady improvements recorded at BSUTH since Dr. Hwande assumed office, with stakeholders praising the hospital’s growing reputation as a reliable centre for advanced and emergency healthcare in North-Central Nigeria.
Today’s exercise underscores the deepening cooperation between the U.S. Mission in Nigeria and state-level institutions as both sides work to ensure the safety and success of high-profile diplomatic engagements on Nigerian soil.
