The newly appointed Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Prof. Idia Ize-Iyamu, has pledged to strengthen healthcare infrastructure and improve staff welfare in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for the health sector.
Prof. Ize-Iyamu, who assumed office on Monday amid cheers from staff and students, becomes the first woman, first dentist, and first orthodontist to lead UBTH since its establishment.
Expressing gratitude to President Tinubu for the confidence reposed in her and to the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, for his recommendation, Ize-Iyamu promised total commitment to accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare delivery for Nigerians.
“We shall pursue this vision through excellence in clinical care, relentless research, and the nurturing of future healthcare leaders. We will cultivate a patient-first culture that measures success by outcomes and experience—shorter waiting times, safer surgeries, and kinder wards,” she said.
The CMD also assured that her administration would prioritize staff welfare, describing UBTH as its people—doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory scientists, administrators, cleaners, students, and patients—rather than just its buildings and machines.
She further commended her predecessors, including the immediate past CMD, Prof. Darlington Obaseki, acknowledging their contributions to the hospital’s growth.
On her historic appointment, Prof. Ize-Iyamu noted: “As the first woman to serve as CMD of UBTH, I stand not as an exception but as an example of what is possible when merit is sought, and when opportunity meets preparedness.
“I carry this responsibility as a message to every girl child in Nigeria—there are no ceilings too high, no doors too heavy, and no dreams too distant when you strive to excel.”
Prof. Ize-Iyamu pledged to renew UBTH’s infrastructure by improving clean water supply, reliable power, emergency services, and overall patient care environment, while strengthening partnerships with government, professional bodies, alumni, industry, and the diaspora.
CAPTION:
Newly appointed Chief Medical Director UBTH, Prof.(Mrs) Idia Ize-Iyamu (middle) flanked by management staff during her assumption of office at the hospital in Benin on Monday
