The hospital started as a leprosy settlement in 1949. The first structures were a few round huts just in front of the present site of the hospital, and these are no longer in existence. These structures were built by Sudan United Missions (SUM) and the project was headed by Mr Bristow. The set-up was then known as Mangu Leprosy Settlement.
In 1952 the first patients arrived. The first patient was transferred from Molai and was registered on 1 February 1952. Other patients followed from Vom, which was the only leprosy treatment centre at that time. Thus, Mangu became a leprosy settlement, taking over from Vom.
The hospital moved into its current site around 1950, as a single building constructed with mud bricks. This building was to later house the eye hospital until very recently. The Centre continued as a leprosy settlement and in 1954 a school was opened in the hospital to cater for leprosy patients of school age.
Ownership of the hospital changed in 1976 when the SUM handed it over to the Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN) who have remained the owners to date. In addition to treating leprosy patients, the Centre was also to be an evangelical vessel to reach out to the spiritual needs of the leprosy patients, most of whom were non-Christians. The school changed its name in 1976, in order to accommodate children with other physical disabilities and handicaps in 1976.
The Centre, in order to reach out to less privileged patients, ran clinics in distant and nearby towns, villages and districts. These included Fobour, Foron, Vom, Panyam, Gindiri, Kabwir, Nyamlor, Kalko (all in present day Plateau State). In 1977 addition clinics were opened in Kurgwi, Bakin-Ciyawa, Namu, Bwall, Sabon-Gida, Zamko, Tuttung, Gagdi, Takfar (all in Plateau State) and Bwoi (present day Bauchi State).
Over the years, services offered by the hospital expanded to include general medical, general surgeries, laboratory, eye care and physiotherapy. The hospital expanded with more buildings and a maintenance section. Rehabilitation programmes were started for disabled people around the hospital. This expansion in facilities led to a new name for the hospital, Mangu Leprosy and Rehabilitation Centre. As a result, a flourishing orthopedic rehabilitation programme was entrenched into the primary leprosy settlement agenda.
Expansion continued with the addition of several other buildings including staff quarters and an eye operating theatre (October 2000). Another building was commissioned in December 2002, for an eye/ophthalmology section.
By the early 1990s the hospital had become more of a General Hospital accommodating students from various health institutions who came for experience in leprosy. The last name change was in December 2000 at the Golden Jubilee of the hospital, in order to reflect the attainment of the status of a Hospital rather than a Treatment Centre. So, the institution became known as the COCIN Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre. It was decided to eliminate “leprosy” from the name in order to reflect the current thinking about removing the cloud of stigmatisation and the desired air of integration of leprosy into general health services.
To date, the total number of leprosy patients admitted and treated is 3 658. Over the year, personnel in the hospital have been varied. Initial staff were European Missionaries and expatriate workers; indigenous staff have gradually taken over the various sections in the hospital.
In addition to treating leprosy patients, a viable vocational rehabilitation prgramme was started around 1987 for ex-leprosy patients who lost their means of livelihood as a result of the disease. They are trained in shoemaking, tailoring, carpentry and welding. Over twenty-five people have benefited from this programme.
For over twenty years, the leprosy programme has been supported by Netherlands Leprosy Relief (NLR), who have provided financial, material and technical support.
(Information supplied by Dr. Useni S., Medical Superintendent of COCIN Hospital and Rehabiliation Centre)