By Innocent Rita
UBTH Marks Eight Years Without Local Strike – MCD
The Chief Medical Director of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Professor Darlington Obaseki, has announced that the institution has not experienced a single local industrial strike in the last eight years, attributing the feat to a harmonious working relationship among staff.
Speaking during an interactive session with journalists following a facility tour on Thursday, Prof. Obaseki said the hospital’s stable industrial atmosphere is one of his administration’s most notable achievements since assuming office in 2017.
“One of our greatest achievements over the past eight years is the absence of any local industrial action in UBTH,” he stated. “This is a direct result of the harmonious coexistence within our workforce, despite the complex nature of a teaching hospital like UBTH.”
Prof. Obaseki revealed that more than 90 per cent of projects initiated under his leadership have been completed, with several modern, state-of-the-art medical equipment now operational across the hospital.
Highlighting the hospital’s commitment to service delivery, he explained that UBTH has prioritized patient care—one of the three core mandates of teaching hospitals, alongside training and research.
“We have deliberately focused on excellent patient management. Our emergency department is now a fully modern, digital unit,” he said. “I am proud to be leaving UBTH in a far better condition than I met it eight years ago. Today, we are ranked among the leading teaching hospitals in Nigeria, and staff morale is high.”
Prof. Obaseki credited his achievements to a clear strategic plan developed at the onset of his tenure, which guided the hospital’s transformation, especially within the first four years.
He also appreciated the role of the media in supporting the hospital’s development. “Even negative reports have helped improve our systems,” he noted.
During the facility tour, the Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee, Prof. Stanley Okogbo, showcased various completed projects and infrastructure upgrades executed during Prof. baseki’s tenure.
