Stakeholders advocate women inclusion in leadership

Stakeholders in the health sector including the Chief Medical Director (CMD), Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, Dr. Chris Bode, have called for the inclusion of women in leadership positions in the political circle and work places.

They also called for the provision of quality education and adequate healthcare services to women to enable them get to the top rung of the leadership ladder.

The call was made recently at the Ordinary General Meeting (OGM) of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) in LUTH.

The event held with the theme, ‘The Role of Women in Leadership: Breaking the Glass Ceiling’, and sub-theme, ‘The Doctors Striking the Delicate Work-life Balance’.

Bode, who was represented at the event by the Chairman Advisory Committee, LUTH, Prof. Wasiu Adeyemo, said the hospital was proud of women who work with them, adding that the management was doing its best to ensure that women are well trained and get relevant certifications to excel in their careers.

According to him, organisations need to make the workplace conducive for both women and men, adding that women deliver almost 70 per cent services in their places of work if given the chance and responsibility to showcase their skills.

He further noted that as an institution, LUTH was doing its best to inculcate gender balance in the mind of its workers especially now that health workers pass through a lot of stress.

Keynote speaker at the event and Convener, Arise Women, Dr. Siju Iluyomade, who partnered with the resident doctors, noted that the NGO was in the forefront during the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that it gave vaccination free of charge to ensure that women were saved.

She further stated that the NGO was focused on the wellbeing of women irrespective of their financial status.

President of ARD in LUTH, Dr. Samuel Okerinde, said the annual event brings stakeholders in the health sector from different parts of the country to deliberate on issues affecting health workers and find lasting solutions.

Chairman, Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Lagos State chapter and Special Guest of Honour at the event, Dr. Benjamin Oluwatosin Olowojobutu, said there was need for Nigeria as a nation to provide laws to ensure gender equality, equity and balance to enable women grow in leadership.

He said women should be given proper mental healthcare services, especially in the work place, to ensure they have mental health balance that would help drive productivity.