26/08/2026
UCH ORGANISES TWO-DAY WORKSHOP ON EMPATHY CARE TRAINING
The University College Hospital, Ibadan, under the leadership of the Chief Medical Director, Prof. Jesse Abiodun Otegbayo, organised a two-day workshop for staff members on Monday, 24 August and Wednesday, 26 August 2026, at the Prof. Simeon Adebo Continuing Education Centre, UCH, Ibadan.
The workshop was themed “Empathy Care Training: Healing with Compassion.”
In her welcome remarks, the Director of Administration and Secretary to the Board of Management, Mrs. Oluseyi Eze, warmly welcomed participants. She urged them to seize the opportunity to acquire new knowledge, pay close attention to the training, and subsequently cascade the lessons on empathy and positive attitudinal changes to other members of staff.
The first speaker, Dr. Kayode Iyun, Head of the Department of Plastic Surgery, traced the history of medicine and explained how the body, soul, and spirit work together in the healing process of patients. He stated that empathy “involves a dynamic interplay between the physical body, the conscious soul, and the inner spirit.”
He further noted that an essential aspect of being human consists of the body, mind, and spirit, and encouraged participants to be self-conscious, God-conscious, and world-conscious in their service delivery.
In his lecture, Dr. Femi Olowookere, Director of the Chief Tony Anenih Geriatric Centre, noted that compassion is greatly desired by patients and their families. He urged participants to extend compassion not only to patients but also to their relatives and colleagues within the healthcare system. He also advised participants to cultivate good habits, bring about positive behavioural changes, and respond promptly to the needs of the hospital’s clients.
Prof. Yomi Esan, Acting Head of the Department of Psychiatry, lectured on the attitude expected of a good healthcare professional. He said a good healthcare professional demonstrates empathy by seeing the person, not just the illness, respects dignity and privacy, and communicates clearly, honestly, and effectively.
The Chief Medical Director, Prof. Jesse Abiodun Otegbayo, was represented by the Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee, Prof. Olubukola Adesina, who welcomed participants. She urged them to pay active attention to the Train-the-Trainers session and to adopt a positive change in attitude towards patients, their relatives, and colleagues.
She stated that UCH is anchored on the tripod of Clinical Services, Training, and Research, and affirmed that the hospital has the capacity to train trainers in empathy across all three areas. She then declared the workshop open.
The workshop concluded with participants committing to cascade the training to their respective departments in order to foster a culture of compassionate care across UCH.
