The University of Benin Teaching Hospital’s (UBTH) departing Chief Medical Director, Darlington Obaseki, has cited the absence of hospital staff strikes and protests as his biggest accomplishment.
During his book launch and valedictory event on Friday, Obaseki made this statement.
He claimed that throughout his eight years in charge as the hospital’s chief medical director, no strikes or protests were organized by the staff.
In his book “A Legacy of Reform: A Future Assured,” Obaseki praised the staff for their cordial working relationship during that time.
He claims that people frequently inquire about his best accomplishment. I have provided multiple responses to this question.“I could easily say the cancer centre, the emergency department. How we are emerging emergency processes, or even the geriatric, neuro surgery or the buildings were renovated among others. For me those are not it.
“When I came on board in 2017, I was determined that there must be peace. There can never be development without peace.
“So, we went far and above the call of duties to ensure that we have industrial harmony even to the tail end of our administration.
“Even as on Monday and yesterday on Thursday some people wanted to agitate. Anytime, I hear of anything like agitation my heart beats.
“For eight years not one union or association, a professional group in the teaching hospital not even for one hour deemed it necessary to go on strike or carry placards to protest. For me, that is our greatest achievement,” he said.
Obaseki who said the University of Benin Teaching Hospital was one of the most sought-after in the country, disclosed that over 143 different hospitals across seven states referred patients to the hospital in the month of July.
He said over 2,400 million patients, an average of over 300,000 patients annually, were attended by the hospital in the past eight years of his administration.
“We see 1,500 patients in our clinics daily, and about 300,000 out-patients in a year, while about 500 to 600 patients are on admission every day,” he added.
He added that fiber optic connections have been installed throughout the hospital to provide stable electricity and that the hospital has been degitalized from end to end.
He concluded his time as CMD as a proud man who left the hospital in a better state than when he arrived in 2017, adding that he had worked really hard with the team to keep it among the top in the nation.
However, he commended the hospital’s Chief Medical Director designee, Idia Ize-Iyamu, on her new role and encouraged her to outperform him.
Additionally, he urged workers to provide the new CMD with the same level of cooperation and support that helped him succeed.
The event’s chairman, Philip Shaibu, the immediate former Deputy Governor of Edo State, had earlier praised Obaseki for all of his efforts to improve the hospital’s infrastructure and personnel resources.
According to Shaibu, Prof. Obaseki has always had a strong interest in improving patient care and hospital development.
In their goodwill greetings, a number of Chief Medical Directors of Federal institutions’ teaching hospitals, including the University of Calabar and the University of Abuja Teaching Hospitals, praised the departing CMD of UBTH for his accomplishments.
