The Oyo State Hospitals Management Board has announced the suspension of a medical officer and a nursing officer for alleged involvement in professional misconduct.

The Chairman of the HMB, Dr. Gbola Adetunji, in a statement on Saturday, said the two officials were suspended after a meeting of the management.

He said they were suspended following their diversion of a patient to a private facility for emergency surgery.

He maintained that the two medical workers were petitioned by a relation of the said patient and that the management investigated and found them culpable.

The statement read, “The Oyo State Hospital Management Board has suspended two medical officers for diverting a patient to a private facility for surgery.

“This decision followed an investigation of a petition received from an affected relation of the said patient.

“Further investigation is continuing by the Disciplinary Committee of the Board. Following the activities of the Monitoring Committees of the Ministry of Health and the Board and reports of members of the public, the Board had come to the conclusion that a few bad eggs in the state health sector are demeaning the good works of the majority of the public health workers”.

“The Board has had several interactive sessions with a cross-section of the health workers, emphasising drastic attitudinal changes in the course of their duties.

“The Board is greatly pained by this unprofessional attitude despite the huge investment and welfare packages in the health sector by the present administration under the dynamic and people-oriented leadership of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Oyo State, Mr. Seyi Makinde.”

The Board warned health workers in the state to continue to be professional and law-abiding, saying it would not condone any untoward act that can bring the state health sector into disrepute.

“The Board is now sending a strong note of warning to health workers in the public sector to buckle up or face severe disciplinary action, as the leadership of the Board is migrating from counselling mode to serious disciplinary mode.

“While the Board publicly appreciates those who are professionally committed to their duties, it will not relent in fishing out the bad eggs within the system,” the statement added.