Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
As the battle for the soul of the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital hots up, the need to put a square peg in a square hole can never be overemphasized if the hospital must maintain its pride of place in the comity of nations in the area of health.
Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital was established by the late Admiral Augustus Akhabue Aikhomu, who served as the de facto Vice President of Nigeria under military president General Ibrahim Babangida from 1986 to 1993.
Aikhomu, who died on August 17, 2011, first named the Health Institution after his late mother, Otibhokae Specialist Hospital by decree 92 of 1993, before it was upgraded and renamed Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital at the end of military rule in Nigeria.
As ISTH goes through another leadership transition, all eyes are on a man who can fit into this hole, which is no other than, Professor Reuben Agbonyosoria Eifediyi based on his antecedents that are easily accessible.
Recall that the then giant strides recorded at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, famous for active intervention in the detection, treatment and cure of Lassa Fever, cannot be highlighted without the mention of the institution’s acting Chief Medical Director (CMD) Professor Reuben Agbonyosoria Eifediyi.
Perhaps, worthy of special note is that just six months into his assumption of office then as the CMD, the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital was given the clearance to produce Lassa Fever vaccines due mainly to the hospital’s effective and efficient management cases of the dangerous and fast spreading disease.
Lassa Fever, a viral hemorrhagic fever transmitted by MultiMammate rats, kills hundreds of people in Edo and other states in Nigeria every year.
Prof Eifediyi announced the breakthrough recorded by the hospital management following his trip to Germany, where he attracted a grant of almost €2 million for the institution to produce the Lassa Fever vaccines.
This would make the hospital the only institution in Nigeria and Africa to do that.
Undoubtedly, Professor Eifediyi has, within six months in office then, turned the institution into a truly world-class research and training institution, with several hospital infrastructural projects springing up amidst improved host communities relations and improved services from staff to patients.
And now, as the nation fumbles and wobbles under the heavy weight of medical tourism resulting in capital flight, because the sector can not meet up with the health demands of the Nigerian populace, a man like Eifediyi, with the vast knowledge in the field of medicine is what is needed to steer the ship of the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital to bridge the gap and redefine the sector.
On his way to becoming the number one teaching hospital staff, Professor Eifediyi has served in various leadership roles both in the institution and elsewhere.
For instance, he was chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee (C-MAC) of the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital before his appointment by the board of the Federal Teaching Hospital in January 2023 (the specific date), following the expiration of the eight-year tenure of the former chief medical director, Professor Sylvanus Okogbenin.
Eifediyi, a professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, does not know why lives should not be preserved.
Having served as head Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department of the ISTH and chairman and member of various committees of enquiry both in ISTH and the Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma, Professor Eifediyi’s appointment is one of putting a round peg in a round hole.
Professor Eifediyi is a Fellow of the West African College of Surgeons (FWACS); Fellow, of the National Post Graduate Medical College of Nigeria, Faculty of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, (FMCOG); Fellow, of the International College of Surgeons (FICS); Fellow, of the Chartered Institute of Human Resources Management, Nigeria; Fellow Institute of Certified Professional Managers USA and Associate member, Royal College of Obstetrician and Gynaecologist (London) and many others.
He is a member of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), a former chairman of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) and currently chairman of the Editorial Board of ISTH.
With all these professional bodies to which he belongs and has served in some capacities, the group, Esan Descendants Assembly (EDA), a registered non-governmental and non-partisan organization to protect and project the interests of Esan people in all spheres that also pride themselves on contributing and assisting government to improve the standards of living of its people by embarking on community-based projects and programs, has queued up behind him as the only person fit for the post of the CMD of the hospital.
The association comprises prominent Esan Sons and Daughters with AVM Anthony.
Okpere Rtrd, former Minister for Aviation, as the Chairman, Board of Trustees and
Prof. Oyaziwo Aluede of The Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma, as the President.
The group said that the occupier of the position of the Chief Medical Director, of the Irrua SpecialistvTeaching Hospital (ISTH) has been of paramount interest to them because of
The institution’s strategic position in the development of Esanland and the nation.
The group said it is the only federal government industry in its Senatorial District which was made possible by their son of blessed memory, Late Adm. Augustus Aikhomu GCON,
Former Vice President of The Federal Republic of Nigeria.
They went further to say that the institution has contributed in no small measure to the development of Esanland by giving opportunities for their people to be employed and also training medical doctors and health workers.
According to the group, “Today, ISTH is a world-acclaimed centre for the Treatment and
management of the deadly Lassa fever and other infectious diseases.
” This is because, the Minister and Ministry for Health, have always insisted on getting the best-qualified persons to man the position of the Chief Medical Director”.
The group said they needed someone familiar with the workings of the hospital to man the institution and build on the successes of predecessors while also questioning the recent interview held for the selection of the new CMD.
“The interviews in the past it is unfortunate that obvious bias and tendencies of financial compromises on the parts of some members of the panels have marred the current interview.
“We have it on good authorities that they were compromised financially to award maximum
marks to a particular candidate in two of the subjects (Public Service Rules and General
Knowledge).
” Only two-panel members set the questions and marked alone.
“The markings were delayed till the next day to give room for compromising the final
scores after they discovered another candidate was far ahead.
“They gave maximum scores to their candidate to put him ahead.
“We do not in any way insist that the Chief Medical Director must be an Esan person,
but we insist that the best, based on merit and professional competence, be appointed.
“We, therefore, urge you to call for a review of the processes for setting the questions and
markings of the two subjects (Public Service Rules and General Knowledge) to ensure that due processes are followed.
“What is particularly worrisome is that the past panels have severally rejected this their preferred candidate because he is more of a Chevron Staff than ISTH.
“He spends a greater part of his time in Chevron for the past 15 years and has never been part of the team that built ISTH to its present enviable standard.
“This can be verified from the duty register of the O&G in Chevron clinic.
“He cannot, therefore, sustain the developmental strides of the past Chief Medical Directors, especially the immediate one Prof. Sylvanus Okogbenin as he will be a complete stranger to most of the newly employed consultants and staff.
“His imposition will spell doom for the institution. He cannot come and reap where he did not sow.
“Where then lies the reward for steadfastness and teamwork?
With the strategic national and international placing of ISTH, especially in the fight
against infectious diseases, we cannot afford to have a Chief Medical Director who has
not being part of the team has placed the institution at such height.
“The institution deserves nothing but the best. He has always been transparent and devoid of any scandal”, they said.