The federal government has stressed the need for health institutions to embrace institutional discipline, public accountability as their watchwords for enhanced service delivery.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachallom said achieving excellence in service delivery was never an accidental occurrence but a deliberate action, a team mindset and an unwavering commitment to constantly doing the right thing.
Kachallom stated this at the inauguration of the committee members of the SERVICOM Unit of the Federal Medical Centre, Ikole Ekiti, headquarters of Ikole local government area of Ekiti State.
The SERVICOM Unit, which has Dr Olatunji Atoyebi as its head and focal person also has about 15 unit heads as committee members.
Represented by the Director, Reform Coordination and Service Improvement Department of the ministry, Rebecca Okon, the permanent secretary said this was a strategic move to further reinforce the hospital’s dedication to professionalism and excellence in service provision and resolution of complaints.
“As an institution established to save lives, reduce physical and financial pains, this mandate requires a firm commitment to transparency, responsiveness and high ethical standards that directly impact public health outcomes and a decisive move to institutionalise the hospital’s service charter and performance benchmarks,” Okon said.
While commending the hospital for aligning with the directive to strengthen SERVICOM Units within MDAs, he charged the principal officers and committee members to lead by example.
Okon charged the officers to ensure that standards were fully followed in the day-to-day operations of the hospital.
“Let there be transparency, mutual respect and a collective decision to elevate the standards of service delivery. Work closely with everyone department to identify service gaps, resolves complaints efficiently and improve user satisfaction”.
In his speech, the Medical Director of the hospital, Professor Dare Ogunlusi described SERVICOM as a concept that reflects core values of the FMC Ikole-Ekiti.
Ogunlusi who was represented by the hospital’s Head of Surgery Department, Dr. Stephen Anya Onjefu, added that the hospital valued excellence with qualitative medicare.
Onjefu, who doubles as the Chairman of the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit of the hospital said, “We value people, we prioritise staff welfare. In healthcare, our service is not a luxury but a fundamental human right. It is the compassionate care we offer to those who are most vulnerable. It is the professionalism we exhibit when faced with challenges.
He added that, “This is a culture of accountability, responsiveness, and continuous improvement. The SERVICOM Unit will serve as a vital link, a bridge between our patients’ expectations and our service delivery. It is a system designed to help us identify our weaknesses, celebrate our strengths, and build a framework where every interaction, every procedure, and every moment of care is guided by the highest standards of quality”.
SERVICOM’s National Coordinator, Mr Anthony Oshin who was represented by Team Leader A, (SERVICOM Presidency) Oyelude Nurudeen, said the mandate of the Unit was to focus on the quality of contact between service providers and service takers.
