By Chidinma Ewunonu-Aluko, Ibadan
The Chief Medical Director (CMD), University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan, Prof. Jesse Otegbayo, has urged doctors to cultivate the spirit of empathy, respect patients’ autonomy, and protect their confidentiality.
Otegbayo made the call on Tuesday at the UCH Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) 57th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference in Ibadan.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event had the theme “Accountability in Care: Legal and Ethical Responsibilities of the Modern Clinician.”
Otegbayo emphasised the need for resident doctors, who he said are the backbone of clinical services in hospitals, to always explain patients’ conditions to them and maintain accurate transparent records.
He said that digital health, artificial intelligence, increasing patient awareness and changing legal frameworks placed greater scrutiny on how care was delivered.
He said that it was important that every clinician understands the science of medicine, the ethical codes and legal boundaries that govern professional behavior.
According to him, a society that places its health in the hands of medical professionals expects transparency, diligence and respect for human dignity.
“We must meet and even exceed these expectations.
“At UCH, we strengthen systems that promote accountability in care.
“These include improved clinical governance structures, continuous audits, patient feedback mechanisms and interdisciplinary collaboration.
“In spite of all these, the systems can only be effective when each clinician commits personally to the highest standards of professionalism,” he said.
Otegbayo commended the ARD leadership for choosing a theme that compels introspection and encourages a collective commitment to safer and more accountable care.
The Chairperson of the occasion, and Permanent Secretary, Oyo State Ministry of Justice, Mrs Olubunmi Are, said the theme could not be more timely and essential.
She said that advances in technology, science and patient advocacy have not only expanded the possibilities of care but also heightened responsibilities.
“More than ever, the society looks to the physician, not only as a healer, but also as a custodian of trust.
“Accountability in care is not merely a professional requirement; it is the moral spine of our vocation.
“It demands that we uphold the highest standards of competence, integrity and compassion, whether in clinical or administrative roles,” she said.
Are urged the physicians to participate actively to broaden their knowledge and strengthen collective resolve to practice medicine with honour, responsibility and unwavering ethical clarity.
The UCH ARD President, Dr Gboyega Ajibola, said that the past years brought both triumphs and challenges, but that ARD UCH demonstrated strong leadership on both national and local levels.
Ajibola pointed out that accountability in care was not merely a concept, but the covenant that binds doctors to the patients and the society.
“As modern clinicians, we practice in an era of heightened expectations, technological advancement, and increasing public scrutiny.
“These realities demand from us a renewed commitment to integrity, competence, and transparency.
“Our legal responsibilities remind us that every decision carries consequence–not only for patient outcomes– but also for professional standing and institutional trust.
“Adherence to established guidelines, proper documentation, informed consent, and respect for patients’ rights are not optional; they are the framework that protects both the practitioner and the public,” he said.
The ARD president said that compassion, confidentiality, fairness, and respect for autonomy remained the pillars of good medical practice.
“As innovations reshape clinical care, our ethical compass must remain steady.
“We must ensure that our judgments are free of bias, our conducts above reproach, and our services anchored in the values that define the noble calling of medicine,” Ajibola said.
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