UBTH Chief Medical Director Prof. Ize-Iyamu Engages Hospital Unions and Associations

The new Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Prof. (Mrs.) Idia Nibokun Ize-Iyamu, on Tuesday, 19th August 2025, held her first official engagement with leaders and executives of all unions and associations within the hospital.

The interactive meeting was aimed at fostering dialogue, building trust, and establishing a collaborative working relationship between the hospital’s management and staff bodies.

Prof. Ize-Iyamu assured participants that her administration would operate an open-door policy, making herself accessible to staff through calls, text messages, and office visits. She stressed that transparency, inclusiveness, and effective communication would be central to her leadership style.

Reiterating her commitment to staff welfare, the CMD announced plans to establish a staff welfare centre that will feature:

• A staff clinic to cater to employees’ health needs,
• A creche for children of staff, and
• A staff lounge to serve as a relaxation hub for improved work-life balance.

She further met with each union and association separately, allowing leaders to present issues and suggestions peculiar to their groups. This approach, she noted, was to ensure inclusiveness and give every staff body a voice.

Responding to concerns raised during the sessions, Prof. Ize-Iyamu promised that all issues would be addressed while emphasizing that cases of misconduct would be handled decisively to maintain fairness, discipline, and accountability.

She commended the unions and associations for sustaining peace during the tenure of her predecessor and called for continued cooperation and harmony.

The meeting was attended by executives of the following bodies:

• Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN)
• National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM)
• Association of Resident Doctors (ARD)
• Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN)
• Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN)
• Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP)
• Senior Staff Association (SSA)
• Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU)

Prof. Ize-Iyamu’s engagement with union leaders was widely described as a promising start, underscoring her resolve to make staff welfare, inclusivity, and peace the cornerstones of her administration at UBTH.