Normalcy Restored In OAUTHC As FG Appoints Prof Lateef Salawu New Ag CMD

Normalcy seems to have been restored at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC)as the Federal Ministry of Health, on Monday appointed Prof Lateef Salawu, a Professor of Haematology as new Acting Chief Medical Director.

Announcing the appointment at the complex auditorium in Ile-Ife, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Engr Funso Adeniyi, noted that the appointment takes immediate effect and will last for a period of six-month.

"The meeting took us almost 7 hours before we could resolved the crisis, but thank God that we eventually settled the matter.

"The stakeholders of hospital were present, while the two acting Chief Medical Director(CMD), Dr Afolabi Owojuyigbe, former Acting CMD and Prof Olayinka Adegbehingbe, were not excluded.

"All crisis is resolved, while OAUTHC is back to it's stand, all faction issues had also resolved".he stated.

Adeniyi then assured that due process will be observed in the appointment of substantive CMD which, he said, would soon commence.

The new Acting CMD, Prof. Salawu is a Consultant Haematologist at the hospital and the Dean of the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences at the College of Health Sciences of the institution

Recall the teaching hospital community had the previous week thrown into confusion following the appointment of two persons as Acting Chief Medical Director for the facility within one week by the Federal Government.

According to Sources in the hospital, Prof Oladiran Adegbehingbe was made the acting CMD of the hospital in a letter dated June 22, 2023, signed by Hassan Sallahu, Director Human Resources, on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health.

Adegbehingbe was said to have assumed duty immediately he got the letter and was even at the ministry in Abuja on Monday where he was introduced to the officials.

The letter appointing him as the acting CMD read, “I am directed to convey the approval of the Permanent Secretary for your appointment as acting Chief Medical Director, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, with effect from Tuesday, June 20, 2023.

“The appointment is for a period of six (6) months within which all processes for the appointment of a substantive Chief Medical Director would be initiated and concluded by the ministry.

“Similarly, and in the spirit of the agreement reached between you and the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria and other unions of the hospital, you are exempted from participating in the race for the appointment of a substantive Chief Medical Director.”

However, on Friday, Prof Afolabi Owojuyigbe, who succeeded the last substantive CMD, Prof Victor Adetiloye, returned to the hospital with another letter dated June 27, 2023, which addressed him as the acting CMD written by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health, Adebiyi Olufunso.

Owojuyigbe was, in the letter, asked to stabilise the hospital and hand over its management to Dr Adekunle Adeyemo, who was directed to take over in acting capacity on or before Friday July 7, 2023.

The letter read, “I have approved the appointment of Dr Adeyemo Adekunle, the Deputy Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee of the hospital, as acting Chief Medical Director, who will be in this capacity for a maximum period of six months in line with public service rules.

“You are therefore directed to hand over the affairs of the hospital on or before Friday, July 7, 2023 to the DCMAC OAUTHC, Ile-Ife.”