Orthopaedic Surgeon Urges FG To Prioritise Healthcare For Nigerians

Professor Lawrence Oginni, a Professor of Orthopaedics and Orthopaedic surgeon, is urging the Federal Government (FG) to prioritise healthcare delivery to the citizenry. Professor Oginni, who is a Professor at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), gave this 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.”

Professor Oginni charged the Federal Government to put measures in place for an easy accessibility to clinics and primary healthcare hospitals so that the people at the grassroots would have a better access to healthcare. He appealed to the government to have a proper arrangement for the welfare of health workers in order for them to be committed to their duties. He bemoaned the fact that the infrastructure at hospitals was not enough, which had adverse effect on their works.

He called for a staff motivation in all hospitals and added that there should be both a current and further training and retraining regularly for their skills to be updated. He then thanked God for giving him the opportunity to spend 44 years in the Clinic and Academics, despite all challenges that he surmounted.

Professor Oginni stated that he had started his career at Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC) as a House Officer/Senior House Officer and then later as University Lecturer and retired at a professorship level. He commended his bosses, staff and colleagues who had worked with him during his service, for their support and cooperation that made today a reality. He also encouraged the younger ones to maintain the unity and love that was instrumental to this development.

“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.”

Professor Eyitope Ogunbodede, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, also commended the efforts of Professor Oginni, who had started the department and took it to a higher ground. Professor Ogunbodede mentioned that the retiree had made immense contributions to the development of the College of Health Sciences, department, the institution and humanity at large. He appealed for others to emulate him and ensure they have contributed their own quota to the institution and humanity in all ramifications.

Dr. Orimolade Ayodele, the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, also said that Professor Oginni was an excellent personality, who wanted the progress and development of others in all sectors. Dr. Ayodele further added that the celebrant was the first resident doctor in the department and the first Consultant who was trained in Ife.

“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.”

Dr. Ayodele explained that he had done many great things for them and that the only way to show him the appreciation he deserved was to celebrate him when alive, saying that, “Oginni is a committed community man, a rare gem, mobiliser of human beings, grassroot leader and leader of leaders.”