Darlington Obaseki, outgoing Chief Medical Director of University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) has attributed the lack of strike and protest by staff of the hospital as his greatest achievement.
Obaseki stated this on Friday during his valedictory ceremony and book launch.
He said throughout his eight years administration as the Chief Medical Director of the hospital the workers didn’t embark on any industrial strike or protest.
Obaseki whose book titled, ‘A legacy of reform: A future assured’, commended the staff for the harmonious working relationship throughout the period.
According to him, 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 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 also stated that the hospital has been degitalised for end-to-end, adding that fibre optic cables have also been laid round the hospital for stable electricity.
While noting that he worked very hard with staff to keep the hospital one of the best in the country, he added that he was ending his tenure as CMD as a proud man who left the hospital better than as he met it in 2017.
He, however, congratulated Idia Ize-Iyamu, Chief Medical Director of the hospital designate for the new appointment and urged 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.
Earlier, Philip Shaibu, immediate past Deputy Governor of Edo State and chairman of the occasion, commended Obaseki for all his human and infrastructural development of the hospital.
Shaibu, said Prof Obaseki was always passionate about the development of the hospital and better healthcare for patients.
Several Chief Medical Directors of Federal universities teaching hospitals such as University of Calabar, University of Abuja Teaching Hospitals in their goodwill messages commended the outgoing CMD of UBTH for his achievements.
