Brain drain: EKSUTH plans welfare package for staff

The Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, says it has concluded plans to check brain drain by putting in place welfare package for its workers.

Dr Kolawole Ogundipe, the Chief Medical Director of the hospital said this while addressing a news conference on Tuesday in Ado-Ekiti to mark the 10th anniversary of the institution.

He described “brain drain’’ as the greatest challenge facing the hospital.

According to him, a minimum of N1million is being spent on the training of members of staff of the hospital monthly to improve their skill and productivity.

He said seminars and conferences were also being organised as in-house training to get the staff informed, educated and enable them acquire the latest skills in the practice of medicine.

“Our staff also enjoy 50 percent discount on the cost of treatment given to them in this hospital, while promotion has been done up to 2017,” he said.

He said the institution was not free from the economic hardship facing the nation; a development he said made it difficult for the hospital to get the necessary infrastructure, equipment and personnel.

Ogundipe, however, said the hospital had delivered on its mandate of effective service delivery, research and training in enhancing healthcare delivery to the people of the state.

He said the Medical and Dental Council Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) had given approval to the hospital to start residency training in eight areas of specialisation.

The areas he said were; Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Family Medicine, Psychiatry, Surgery, Internal Medicine, Ophthalmology, Community Medicine and Paediatrics.

Ogundipe said the institution had also improved facilities in Accident and Emergency Unit, built a new theatre unit and provide modern equipment in all the laboratories to give quality service to patients.

He said the hospital had built a dialysis and oncology centres to treat those afflicted with kidney infection and cancer, adding that patients now received treatment in EKSUTH rather than travelling abroad

The chief medical director said two outreach centres had been established in Igbemo-Ekiti and Ire-Ekiti to improve healthcare services at the grassroots.

He said the National Universities Commission (NUC) had accredited hospital to run MBBS in Medicine and Surgery up to the final level while its School of Nursing had been accredited.

Ogundipe said the hospital had acquired Echo Cardiogram Machine to examine patients with cardiac problem.

According to him, doctors in the Ophthalmology Department have made a breakthrough by repairing a retinal detachment of a young graduate of Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti.