Some staff members of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTH) Ile-Ife, Osun State, are unhappy because beds will be out of their office spaces soon.

Professor John Okeniyi, Chief Medical Director (CMD) announced that he would get rid of office beds at OAUTH on Wednesday. Okeniyi, while addressing reporters, said the move would enable his administration to curb the incessant cases of sexual harassment of female staff in the hospital.

The CMD added that the continuous presence of beds in hospital office spaces could continue to give rise to more incidents of sexual assault.

He further stated that the institution put a strict anti-sexual harassment policy in place and that any medical staff who violated any of its rules would be made to face the consequences.

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“The laws are clear, which we have brought to the fore for the notice of the people, ‘thou shall not sexually harass’. So, ignorance can no longer be a defence, now that you all know and if anybody does that, the next step is a deterrent with punishment. If anybody does that, we will punish him and will not sweep it under the carpet,” Okeniyi said.

“Once we start punishing people, others will be exposed subsequently, there will be a wall of shame on the internet for it. It will be there for your friends, children, and spouse to see forever.

“For those who cannot control their libido, they will have the law to contend with. Besides that, we will remove beds from offices being used under the guise of night shift. Having beds in offices could provoke sexual harassment. From now, I will personally supervise the removal of beds from offices. The night shift is not meant for sleeping but for people to do their job and leave.

“I have also empowered SERVICOM people to say something, people are groaning from sexual harassment. Now they know that if they talk, there is a listening ear and action would be taken.”

‘DOCTORS ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THE DEVELOPMENT’

Meanwhile, FIJ has learnt that the CMD’s plan to remove beds from office spaces has been deemed “harsh and uncalled for” by some medical staff at the hospital.

“Well, I won’t lie and I can’t say the cases of sexual assault recorded at OAUTH have not been much,” a non-clinical staff at the hospital, who asked not to be named, told FIJ.

“As a matter of fact, we have recorded many cases of sexual assault and harassment of female staff at the hospital.

“So, on one hand, I support the CMD’s plan to have beds removed from office spaces in our hospital if it will help in curbing the perpetrators’ excesses. No leader would want the institution he manages to be known for lawlessness and crimes.

“I even hear the removal of the beds will take effect soon.”

The non-clinical staff told FIJ that the decision to remove the beds would on the other hand also impact “innocent medical staff” negatively.

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“I can understand why the CMD’s decision has not sat well with some affected staff,” the OAUTH worker said.

“Not all of these medical staff are guilty of the crime they are now being made to pay for.

“How do you explain a situation where a doctor, who has no intention of sexually harassing anyone, would not have a bed to lie on after finishing a night shift?

“It will definitely tell on his productivity and general well-being. That is why the decision, though noble, will cause a great deal of problems, especially in the area of staff getting ample rest after finishing their shift.”