Dr. Christian Isichei
Chris Isichei was born Dec 23, 1958, the youngest of 6 children born to his father’s 1st wife. Before Chris was born, his father had also taken a 2nd wife (a common cultural practice), and reflecting both her sorrow and her hope, Chris’s mother gave him 2 names: Ogoegbunem, meaning, “don’t let your kindness kill you”, and Christian.
Chris later went to medical school on the one-one diet plan–meaning one meal a day (still common among university students), graduated and went into Chemical Pathology. He began practicing medicine and lecturing at Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) in 1987.
In 1991, Chris agreed to assist a UNM biochemistry professor on a grant to facilitate/tutor UNM undergraduates conducting nutritional research in JUTH for 8 weeks each summer. As a reciprocal part of the grant, Chris spent 8 weeks at UNM in 1996, his first time out of Nigeria. Here, he saw the differences in health care available in the U.S. compared to Nigeria and decided then to do everything he could to assist all Nigerians, especially the poor. He developed a vision to provide free health care and social services to all in need.
Chris returned to Jos and was offered the use of the 2nd floor of a friend’s building, and Faith Alive was born. The name “Faith Alive” was derived from name a now-disbanded Albuquerque church called “Living Faith”. Initially Faith Alive Clinic was open after work from 5pm to 10pm and staffed by Chris and a few volunteer doctors, nurses, counselors and med students. There were very few medications or pieces of equipment available, but hope and compassion were abundant.
In 1997, Chris facilitated and participated in another grant thru the UNM School of Medicine’s Masters in Public Health Program that focused on HIV. That study changed his life and set him on his current course.
Chris’ wife, Mercy is doing her surgical residency currently and works closely with him at the hospital.
Two years ago St. Anthony’s Alliance began support of Dr. Isichei and his work with TB and HIV patients. Recently Dr. Jim Tryon and his daughter Elyce traveled to Nigeria to spend two weeks at Faith Alive to better understand the needs of the hospital and its outreach programs.
Today, Faith Alive has a new 3-story hospital and thru Dr. Isichei’s vision and the generosity of dedicated supporters, It has become a model for providing FREE medical care including comprehensive HIV care to people in and around Jos.
