The Chief Medical Director of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Prof. John Okeniyi, has revealed that he has asked lecturers who have reasons to stay overnight to remove the beds they have in their offices....READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE ▶▶
The Chief Medical Director revealed this to newsmen on Wednesday, saying it is one of the ways they intend to curb sexual harassment.
Okeniyi, who spoke on the first year of his administration with newsmen, said: “The laws are clear, which we have brought to the fore for the notice of the people: ‘Thou shall not sexually harass.’
“So ignorance can no longer be a defence.
“Now you all know and if anybody does that, the next step is a deterrent with punishment.
“If anybody does that, we will punish him and will not sweep it under the carpet.
“Once we start punishing people, others will be exposed subsequently.
“There will be a wall of shame on the Internet for it.
“It will be there for your friends, children, and spouse to see forever.
“For those who cannot control their libido, they will have the law to contend with.
“Besides that, we will remove beds from offices being used under the guise of night shift.
“Having beds in offices could provoke sexual harassment.
“From now on, I will personally supervise the removal of beds from offices.
“The night shift is not meant for sleeping, but for people to do their jobs and leave.”
Okeniyi, who addressed the newsmen at the auditorium of the hospital complex, attributed his success to God and the collaboration of his team, staff and all other stakeholders.
He appreciated everyone for contributing to enhancing and ensuring perfect healthcare service delivery, training and research.
“A tree cannot make a forest,” he said.
According to him, his tenure commenced amidst a period of unprecedented turmoil, industrial disharmony and excessive bureaucracy.
Though tasked with addressing the challenges of insubordination, misconduct, various unethical behaviour and over-establishment, Okeniyi said he stood committed to realising his vision and mission.
The CMD explained that staff enrolled in 2021 had been confirmed, while laundry and tailoring staff with career stagnation had migrated to general duties in the directorate of administration.
He further stated that transparent intern appointments based on merit had been made for pharmacists, physiotherapists, nurses, medical laboratory scientists, dental technologists and dieticians.
Okeniyi said appointments had been made to alleviate the acute shortage of clinical staff and enhance training and services.
He said OAUTHC is the number one centre in Nigeria recording a total of 33 cases (still counting) of paediatric open-heart surgery.
He listed part of the challenges as infrastructural decadence, corrupt practices, poor deployment of electronic medical recording systems, revenue collection, poor funding and lightning-damaged electronic systems.
Okeniyi complained bitterly about the Japa syndrome, calling on those who left through prolonged leave and studying abroad to return.
He called for the full support of all to take the teaching hospital to the land of promise, assuring that the hospital would soon be solar-powered, especially the main theatre.
The Chairman of the Chief Medical Advisory Committee, Prof. Akinwumi Komolafe, who spoke on behalf of others, commended the CMD for being a focused and exemplary leader.
Komolafe praised him for his competence, courage, consistency, and transparency, promising the support of all for more productivity.
