Industrial harmony my greatest achievement as UBTH’s CMD – Prof. Obaseki

By Jethro Ibileke

The outgone Chief Medical Director of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Prof Darlington Obaseki, has commended the staff of the Hospital for the industrial harmony and good working relationship he enjoyed with the workers throughout the eight years he was at the helm of the management.

Obaseki whose tenure as CMD expired on Friday, disclosed this during his valedictory speech and launch of a book titled, “A Legacy of Reform: A future Assured”.

He described the lack of strike and protest by members of the various industrial unions in the Hospital as his greatest achievement through his eight years administration.

He said: “People keep asking me what my greatest achievement is. I have answered this question several times.

“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 [Thursday], some persons wanted to agitate. Anytime, I hear of anything like agitation my heart beats.

“For eight years, not one union or association, professional group in the teaching hospital, not even for one hour, demeed it necessary to go on strike or carry placards to protest. For me, that is our greatest achievement.”

Obaseki stated that the UBTH is one of the most sought after hospitals in the country, adding that over 143 different hospitals across seven states referred patients to the Hospital in the month of July alone.

According to him, over 2,400 million patients, an average of over 300,000 patients annually were attendedto 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.

Among other achievements he mentioned were the digitization of the Hospital end-to-end, fibre optic cables laid round the Hospital for stable electricity.

He concluded that he was ending his tenure as CMD a proud man who left the hospital better than as he met it in 2017, having worked very hard with staff to keep the hospital one of the best in the country.

Obaseki who congratulated the newly appointed Chief Medical Director of the Hospital, Prof Idia Ize-Iyamu for her appointment, charged her to surpass his achievements.

He also called on staff to give the incoming CMD much more the cooperation and support given to him to succeed.