Prof Abiodun Otegbayo, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University College Hospital (UCH), Nigeria’s foremost tertiary health institution, says the facility has suffered a massive exodus of its experts, totalling about 600 in the last one year.
“Every week, I signed resignation letters of 15 health workers at the institution, who are mostly clinicians, that is, Nurses, Doctors and Pharmacists, among others,” Prof Otegbayo said on Monday during a press briefing to mark the 65th Founder’s Day celebration of UCH.
He called for the removal of bottlenecks in replacing the workforce due to the mass exodus of health workers.
Otegbayo said that from 2020 to October 15, 2022, no fewer than 600 clinical staff had left the hospital, noting that bureaucracy bottlenecks had been hindering their replacement.
He said there was an acute shortage of manpower due to push and pull factors, such as poor welfare of workers and insecurity, among others.
Otegbayo said that UCH had been committed to effective healthcare delivery in Nigeria and West Africa.
The chief medical director said the institution would continue in its strides as infrastructure and facilities were being overhauled in addition to human capital development.
He commended the staff members of the institution for their dedication and commitment to uplifting the institution by giving in their best and according to respect to the patients.
Otegbayo 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 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,” he said.
“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 scorecards, 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, rehabilitation of the North West Block.”
“Completion of renovation works on the Radiology Block VI, painting of the exterior of the Mortuary Block and continuation of the interior of the Mortuary Block.”
Otegbayo said that the institution yearly attended to documented 14,000 out-patients and 10,000 in-patients, and it’s committed to quality service delivery and leverage on technology.
