·
Abayomi Receives Award of Excellence In Medical Leadership
Health professionals have called for the promotion of mental
health in the country especially among aspirants to leadership positions.
This, they explained, is
to ensure that they have the qualities and ability to pursue the good of the
society. They made the call during
the during the just-concluded Annual Scientific Conference And Gathering
organised by the Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University
of Lagos (CMUL), Idi-Araba, Lagos.
Speakers at the conference
with the theme, “Mental Health In a Recessed Economy,” and sub-theme, “Role of
Academics in Emotional Health Promotion,” linked general well-being of
individuals to their state of mental health.
Among those who canvassed
for this recently was Professor Jude Uzoma Ohaeri, a Professor of Psychiatric,
University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), Enugu State.
In a lecture entitled,
“Mental Health Promotion As A National Development Strategy: The Role of
Professionals in the Field,” Prof. Ohaeri observed that it was important for
leadership aspirants to undergo mental health check to confirm that they have
critical human traits that make for successful leadership.
The Professor of
Psychiatrics, said that that the World Health Organisation (WHO) defined mental
health as “a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her
own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively
and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.” In analysing the WHO’s
definition, Prof. Ohaeri said that there are two aspects that stress on
wellbeing and absence of disease.
He noted that people who
have disease are neither the problem of the country nor patients that have
psychiatric problem. He said, “The problem of
Nigeria is that people who are deficient in aspects of humanity seek this power
and they rule us at whatever level, whether as class teacher or whatever that
is the problem.”
“So my lecture says we
have to do something which is called mental health promotion in order to make sure that people who aspire to such
heights are people who are in general society, have these elements of humanity
that make for the foundations for flourishing of the individuals and
flourishing of society.
“That is the branch of my
talk really that the law bars you from contesting from any leadership
positions if you are deficient in
altruism, kindness and in good neighbourliness, even if you are not depressed
as you will bring all those deficiencies into whatever you are asked to do and
that is the problem we’re facing.”
On the theme of the
conference, Professor Adeola Onokoya, a Professor of Orthomology at College of
Medicine, University of Lagos (CMUL) Nigeria, said, “It’s no news that our
economy is in recession or if you like to use the word depression and we know
that recently we’ve had a lot of unpalatable news about members of the
community, children, students and people committing suicide.
“There is no doubt that
the theme is linked with what is happening in the country and all the things
human beings would require for a healthy living for your mind to be at rest. “We’re just trying to look
at mental health promotion as a role for everybody. This is because everybody
is affected.
“Even research has shown
that mental health is the most common form of ill-health. About one in four of
individuals is affected in a lifetime by mental health. So it is a topic that
we need to educate people on; let people be aware that there are interventions
that could be used to proffer solutions for people who may require it.
“It’s important for us to
let people know because there are some people who suffer from depression and
actually they do not know because of what is called somatisation,” he stated.
Dr. Abayomi Ajayi,
Managing Director, Nordica Fertility Centre, who was the special guest of
honour on the occasion, while speaking also said that there is an intersection
between infertility and mental health.
“This is because of the
high premium we place on child bearing, people who don’t have children feel
like something is missing,” Dr. Abayomi explained. “When people are stretched
and not relieved it could lead to depression which is an ill- health that can
translate into other serious mental issues. So procreation is really an
essential factor for one’s mental health stability,” he added.
WHO says that health is
not just the absence of infirmity but a state of well-being.
Dr. Ajayi also stated that
there is treatment for infertility like any other medical disorder, while we
are not saying that people should not go to prayer houses, we however advise
that they seek medical attention.
He also noted that the job
of a doctor as an administrator involves looking after so many people at the
same time, but most doctors seem to be more concerned about the clinical work
and does not really bother much about the business angle. He therefore called
for more training of doctors to be better administrators.
One of the major highpoint of the event was the conferment of ‘Award of Excellence In Medical
Leadership’ on D.r Ajayi. Conferring the award on
him was ‘Award of Excellence In Medical
Leadership’ Prof Ben Oghojafor, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Management Services who
said that Dr. Ajayi was being recognised for his leading role in general health
through fertility management in the
country.
The award to Dr. Ajayi and
his fertility centre is the second one in a month as his clinic also won one of
this year’s Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Awards (NHEA).
Contending with five
other hospitals nationwide, the 2017 award was presented to Nordica Fertility
Centre at the annual event which celebrates distinguished personalities and
organisations who have contributed immensely to the growth of the Nigerian
health sector.
