This is the inaugural remarks delivered by Professor John A.O. Okeniyi, the new Chief Medical Director of OAUTHC, on the 20th September, 2023:
“Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
Thank you for gathering here today on this momentous occasion.
It is with great honour and humility that I stand before you as the Chief Medical Director, succeeding our Acting CMD Prof. Lateef Salawu.
First and foremost, I would like to express my deep gratitude to God Almighty for enabling my selection and appointment.
Also, I salute our former CMDs, Substantive and Acting, for their outstanding dedication and leadership of our dear Institution over the years.
Their individual contributions, visions, commitments, and tireless efforts have propelled our institution to where we are today.
I am fortunate to be surrounded by a team of exceptional professionals, administrators and healthcare workers alike without whom none of the past achievements and events would have been possible.
Together, we will continue to foster a culture of compassion, innovation, and excellence.
We will remain steadfast in our mission to provide the highest standard of care to every patient who walks through our doors.
The fore discussed nevertheless, our beloved institution is faced with infrastructural and aesthetic challenges, poor maintenance, irregular water and electricity supply, a lack of some basic types of equipment and medications, prolonged patient waiting time, inadequate investigation processing, poor result retrieval systems and sub optimal waste disposal systems.
In addition to these, inter-professional and industrial peace and harmony as subpar with, dwindling staff morale, poor staff attitude towards patients, unacceptable operational lapses, unavailability of clearly described key performance indicators and administrative inefficiency.
We have other staffing-related issues being looked into by the FMoH, Abuja.
We have not fully imbibed electronic medical recording, information and communication technology, and digitalization into our day-to-day clinical, laboratory, pharmacy, and administrative operations as well as the promotion of our corporate image and activities effectively.
These factors have limited internal revenue generation, and cause the possibility of unaccountability, frustration, and dissatisfaction among clients and employees, inefficiency and inefficacy, as well as a significant waste of time and other resources.
There has been poor adherence to the Public Service Regulation.
We are beset by a slew of other issues such as brain drain, insecurity, corruption, poverty and hopelessness.
I however believe we can and must do much better. To accomplish this, I believe that we embrace this new and dynamic vision boldly.
As a result, we must conduct an objective and holistic review of our situation to enable us to determine our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats and decisively address them as best as God has endowed us to.
Thus, as I assume this role, I am acutely aware of the enormous responsibility and expectations that come with it.
Our Institution stands as a beacon of hope for our community, a place where lives can be saved, and healing begin.
Our Hospital unlike others of her peers is also placed to uphold preventive public health.
I pledge to uphold and build upon the legacy left by my predecessors.
We are in a difficult situation being presently resource-constrained, and situated in a rural environment.
Thus, I am calling on my fellow aspirants, the selection process is now over, and I want them all to kindly join efforts with me and my new team to allow us all to forge forward to loft heights.
I have learnt over the years that peace, togetherness, probity, transparency and the fear of Almighty God heralds growth and development.
My vision is: “To Guide OAUTHC to become the leading tertiary healthcare institution in Nigeria and beyond, through visionary and inspirational leadership and management, and excellence in in-hospital care, scholarship, ease of doing business, technology-driven, economical quality-assured service delivery by competent, humane and well-motivated staff in a serene, health-promoting environment.”
My core values are:
Integrity
Compassion
Assiduousness
Respect
Excellence,
Accountability
Leadership by example
Openness
Technology-
“I CARE A LOT”.
My mission is to:
ENSURING QUALITY-ASSURED SERVICE
CREATING A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR WELL-MOTIVATED AND COMPETENT PROFESSIONALS
CREATING A RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT AND EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE
CREATING ICT-BASED CLINICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY AND INCREASED FUNDING BASE
The OAUTHC is well known for a few things – cardiac surgery, endoscopy + ERCP, Laparoscopic Surgery, Renal transplantation, and the Management of Blood disorders and malignancies including Gynaeoncologic among others.
I would want us to reinvigorate these to our relative advantage and introduce yet new projects.
All of us and our Nation will benefit from the curb of medical tourism. We must not only focus on service delivery but training, research and staff welfare.
We have to encourage responsible unionism and worker welfare.
In the ever-evolving landscape of medicine and healthcare, we must adapt and embrace change.
We need to re-double our efforts to surmount all our challenges.
Our commitment to cutting-edge research, the integration of advanced technologies, and continuous education will ensure that we remain at the forefront of medical excellence.
I invite every member of our staff to share their insights, ideas, and aspirations openly as I hope we embrace transparency.
Our collective wisdom and unity will guide us toward even greater accomplishments.
Collaboration is the key to success in our noble pursuit of healing and caring for the sick.
As I stand here today, I am excited and ready to embark on this journey with all of you.
Together, we will shape the future of healthcare in our community, leaving an indelible mark on the lives of those we serve.
To our former Ag. CMD, Prof Salawu Sir, thank you for your remarkable leadership and sacrifices in our Hospital’s hour of need.
May God Almighty recognize and recompense you even beyond measure.
To my colleagues, thank you for your dedication. To the patients and families we serve, your trust inspires us to do our very best every day.
In closing, let us look forward with optimism and determination.
Together, we will continue to write the story of our healthcare institution, a story of compassion, hope, and healing.
Thank you.
Professor John A.O. OKENIYI
Chief Medical Director, OAUTHC, Ile-Ife
BSc (Ibadan), MBChB (Ife), FWACP, Dip. Echocardiography (Vienna), Cert. LMiH (Washington), FNCS, FIPMA, FACC (Washington)
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