By Anu Smith
The Chief Medical Director, University College Hospital, (UCH), Ibadan, Prof. Abiodun Otegbayo has called for the removal of bottlenecks in replacing the workforce due to the mass exodus of health workers.
Otegbayo made the call at the press conference organised to Mark the 65th Founder’s Day celebration of the foremost tertiary health institution, UCH, in Ibadan on Monday.
According to him, every week he signs resignation letters for 15 health workers at the institution who are mostly clinicians, that is, Nurses, Doctors, and Pharmacies among others.
Otegbayo said from 2020 to 15th Oct. 2022, 600 clinical staff had left the hospital, noting that bureaucracy bottlenecks have been hindering replacement.
He noted incessant resignation globally, adding that there is an acute shortage of manpower due to push and pull factors such as poor welfare of workers and insecurity among others.
Otegbayo said UCH has been committed to effective healthcare delivery in Nigeria and West African Sub-region, adding that it would continue in its strides as infrastructure and facilities were being overhauled, in addition to human capital development.
He commended the staff of the institutions for their dedication and commitment to uplifting the institution by giving their best and according to respect to the patients.
The cmd said the institution had acquired two sets of Auto Clave, 64-Slice CT machines and two Mammography machines to improve clinical services.
“Just as the physical infrastructure is being developed, so also is the administration bringing in state-of-the-art equipment to enhance service delivery.
“We have not rested on our oars as we keep acquiring new equipment. It is our style to keep on acquiring equipment that positions the Hospital at the forefront of demands for best clinical practices.
“Perhaps one of our most significant achievements in the last 65 years of our existence has been a truly indigenous elaboration and facelift of the University College Hospital.
“However, as I said, we keep improving, between the times we produced the scorecard and now, we have continued with our projects, acquired new equipment, got more help and upgraded our services.
“In the area of physical infrastructure, we have made the following milestones: Completion of the Molecular Laboratory,
Completion of the rehabilitation of the burnt Tailoring and Laundry building
“Completion and equipping of the West West Block 4. Ongoing renovation, and rehabilitation of the North West Block.
“Completion of renovation works on the Radiology Block 6. Painting of the exterior of the Mortuary Block and continuation of the interior of the Mortuary Block,” Otegbayo said.
He noted the donations of government and Nigerians to the institution, adding that the Emergency Department received a two-year accreditation from the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria in 2022.
“It is the second Emergency Medicine Department to be accredited in Nigeria, after the University of Jos Teaching Hospital (JUTH), but JUTH has yet to begin operating it,” he said.
Otegbayo stated the institution yearly attended to documented 14,000 out-patients and 10,000 in-patients and is committed to quality service delivery and leverage on technology.
