By A Correspondent
A Professor of Othopaedic Surgery, Lawrence Oginni, has urged the Federal Government to prioritise healthcare delivery to the citizenry.
Oginni, a professor at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), gave the advice during his Valedictory Lecture on Wednesday in Ile-Ife, Osun State.
He delivered his lecture on “Forty-Four Years of Adventure in the Academia: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.”
Oginni charged the Federal Government to put measure in place for easy accessibility to clinics and primary healthcare hospitals such that people at the grassroots would have access to healthcare.
The orthopaedic surgeon appealed to government to have proper arrangement for welfare of health workers for them to be committed to their duties.
He lamented that infrastructure was not enough at the hospitals which had adverse effect on their works.
Oginni called for staff motivation in all hospitals, adding that there should be current and further training and retraining regularly for updating their skills.
He thanked God for giving him the opportunity to spend 44 years in the clinic and academics, despite all challenges that he surmounted.
Oginni said he started his career at Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC) as a House Officer/Senior House Officer, later as university lecturer and retired at professorship level.
He commended his bosses, staff and colleagues that worked with him during his service, for their support and cooperation that made today a reality.
Oginni encouraged younger ones to sustain the unity and love that was instrumental to this development.
He said: “It was busy focus on treatment patients to get better healthwise and for those that want to train to be properly and well trained.
“Everyone should have view of where they are going, every family should have health institutions where to register for proper treatment.
“Primary healthcare centres should be developed for family clinic such that minor cases would be treated there, because it would not compulsory going to tertiary Institutions again.”
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof Eyitope Ogunbodede, had commended the efforts of Oginni, who started the department and took it to higher ground.
Ogunbodede said that the retiree had contributed immensely to the development of the College of Health Sciences, department, the institution and humanity at large.
He appealed to others to emulate him and ensure they contributed their own quota to the institution and humanity in all ramifications.
Also, the chairman, local organising committee for the event, Dr Orimolade Ayodele, said that Oginni was an excellent personality, who wanted the progress and development of others in all sectors.
Ayodele added that the celebrator was the first resident doctor in the department and the first consultant who was trained in Ife.
He said: “He was nice to all of us, was fatherly, did all he could to put all of us in a global front, he did all he could to pass all his skills to all of us.
“He thought us on issues of morals and attitudes and what many parents cannot teach their children, this man impacted it in our lives, he’s a man of integrity, a rare gem and epitome of love.”
Ayodele stressed that he had done great things for them and the only way to show him the appreciation was to celebrate him when alive.
“Oginni is a committed community man, a rear gem, mobiliser of human beings, grassroot leader and leader of leaders.” (NAN)
