Abayomi Wins Award Of Excellence In Medical
Leadership
By
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 highpoints 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.
