UCTH‑CMD in Ikpeme punishes misbehaving staff and rewards high performers.

Professor Ikpeme Ikpeme, the chief medical director of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), said in recent years that the hospital has taken swift action against staff who exhibit poor conduct toward patients, visitors, and officials.

Reports have indicated that some personnel at the facility have been negligent and rude during official hours, which has turned patients away.

During a media tour of the hospital on Friday, Prof. Ikpeme explained that the institution has begun a personnel indoctrination program to improve services.

He emphasized that training and conduct are part of an ongoing process, as human development is continuous.

“We enforce a policy of reward and punishment to ensure the right attitude at work,” he said. “The hospital does not tolerate insolence or indolence in any form. When staff perform well, we congratulate them and applaud them. If they violate norms of ethical civility and professional conduct, we subject them to a disciplinary process and impose the recommended punishment.”

“We do not hold back against those who display the wrong attitude,” Prof. Ikpeme added.

The CMD urged members of the public to contact him for redress, providing his phone numbers displayed on hospital premises.

“You can reach out to anyone at any time to seek redress. We are always asking questions and encouraging people to do the right thing. Where we see negligence, we do not hold back,” he said. “We conduct post‑incident audits. If we believe a patient was not properly cared for, a team of senior clinicians will review the case.”

He also highlighted that many hardworking and decent personnel work at UCTH, and that he does not remain silent when poor attitudes toward patients and work are reported.

“We address these issues to inculcate the right attitude toward work,” Ikpeme said.