Reported by Simon Daniel Yusuph l Journalist at Weng Global
Health administrators play a critical role in ensuring hospitals function efficiently, patients receive timely services and medical professionals have the resources needed to deliver care, Venerable Osazee Egbenusi has said, calling for greater recognition and better treatment of professionals responsible for managing healthcare operations in Nigeria.
Egbenusi made the call during a public lecture organised by the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) chapter of the Institute of Health Service Administrators of Nigeria on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, according to a report published by Punch Healthwise on October 8.
He argued that healthcare delivery depends not only on the clinical expertise of doctors and nurses but also on the administrative systems that support their work, including patient records, procurement, referrals, admissions and the coordination of hospital services.
His remarks drew attention to a part of healthcare delivery that patients may rarely notice when it works properly but quickly recognise when it fails: the administrative processes that connect medical professionals, hospital resources and patients.
Egbenusi, who is also an engineer and a lawyer, urged health administrators to maintain diligence, protect professional integrity, pursue continuous learning and remember the human consequences of their decisions.
Why Health Administration Matters to Hospital Operations
Hospitals depend on the coordination of numerous activities before, during and after a patient receives treatment. While doctors diagnose illnesses and prescribe treatment, and nurses provide direct patient care, administrative personnel help ensure that the systems supporting those services operate effectively.
These responsibilities can include maintaining patient records, coordinating appointments, managing documentation, supporting procurement, overseeing financial processes and ensuring that referrals reach the appropriate departments.
When these processes function as intended, patients may experience fewer administrative delays and healthcare professionals can concentrate more effectively on clinical responsibilities.
However, when records cannot be located, essential supplies are unavailable or referrals are delayed, the resulting problems can disrupt patient care and place additional pressure on hospital staff.
Egbenusi highlighted this relationship by observing that the administrative contribution to healthcare often becomes most visible when something goes wrong.
He explained that patients rarely recognise the administrator responsible for ensuring that a file is available or that supplies arrive on time. Yet the consequences of administrative failures can become immediately apparent when those essential processes break down.
His argument places health administration within the wider discussion about healthcare quality, where clinical competence must be supported by effective organisation, resource management and professional accountability.
The implication is that hospital performance should not be judged solely by the skills of individual medical professionals. It also depends on whether the institution has reliable systems that allow those professionals to perform their duties.
Egbenusi Calls for Greater Recognition of Administrators
In his address, Egbenusi described health service administration as essential work that often receives limited public recognition.
He contrasted the visible contributions of surgeons and nurses with the less visible responsibilities of administrators, whose work helps ensure that hospital facilities, records and supplies are ready when needed.
The distinction does not diminish the importance of clinical professionals. Rather, it highlights how different occupations contribute to a shared responsibility: providing patients with appropriate and timely healthcare.
A surgeon may possess the expertise required to perform a complex procedure, but the procedure also depends on a functioning operating theatre, available equipment, accurate patient documentation and coordinated support services.
Similarly, a doctor treating a patient may need access to previous medical records, laboratory results, referral notes and other information before making a clinical decision.
If these systems fail, clinical expertise alone may not be enough to prevent avoidable disruption.
Egbenusi’s position is that administrators should receive appropriate recognition for helping maintain the conditions under which medical professionals can work effectively.
Better treatment of health administrators, as called for in the lecture, also raises broader questions about how healthcare institutions value non-clinical staff, support professional development and create working environments in which responsibility is matched by adequate resources.
The report of his address did not specify particular salary adjustments, new benefits or government policies. His call, therefore, should be understood as an appeal for better treatment and recognition rather than an announcement of a specific reform programme.
The Meaning of Remaining Diligent
The lecture focused on the importance of sustaining diligence over time, particularly in a healthcare environment affected by technological change and operational pressures.
According to Punch Healthwise, the event’s theme was framed around the idea of remaining diligent, with capacity-building identified as a priority for the Institute of Health Service Administrators of Nigeria.
Egbenusi challenged administrators to understand diligence as a consistent professional mindset rather than an occasional display of effort.
He argued that maintaining high standards over several years can be more demanding than demonstrating enthusiasm when first appointed to a position.
This distinction matters because healthcare administration involves responsibilities that must be performed consistently. Patient records must be handled carefully every day, procurement processes require continued attention, and administrative decisions must remain reliable even when workloads increase.
A hospital cannot depend on occasional periods of excellent administration. It needs systems and professionals capable of sustaining performance over time.
The challenge becomes more significant when workers face changing technology, limited resources or insufficient recognition.
Egbenusi’s message was that such difficulties should not become an excuse for abandoning professional standards. Instead, administrators should continue improving their knowledge and skills to meet the demands of a changing healthcare system.
Continuous learning is particularly relevant as hospitals introduce digital records, electronic appointment systems and new methods of managing information and resources. These developments can improve efficiency, but they also require personnel who understand how to use the systems appropriately.
Training must therefore extend beyond learning how to complete routine tasks. It should also help administrators develop sound judgement, communicate effectively, identify operational weaknesses and understand the consequences of their decisions.
For health institutions, sustained diligence can be strengthened through professional development, clear responsibilities, appropriate supervision and working conditions that allow staff to carry out their duties effectively.
Integrity Must Guide Administrative Decisions
Egbenusi also urged health administrators to protect their integrity, particularly when making decisions that may not attract public attention or direct supervision.
Administrative responsibilities often involve decisions about records, procurement, resource allocation and the handling of institutional information. These activities require accuracy, fairness and accountability because mistakes or misconduct can affect the operation of an entire facility.
Maintaining integrity means following appropriate procedures, protecting confidential information, documenting decisions accurately and resisting practices that could compromise professional responsibilities.
It also requires administrators to recognise that decisions made away from public view can have consequences for patients and colleagues.
A procurement decision, for example, can affect whether a hospital obtains the equipment or supplies required for its services. Poor record management can complicate the retrieval of information needed by medical teams. Inaccurate documentation can create confusion and undermine confidence in institutional processes.
These examples illustrate why administrative integrity is not merely an internal employment issue. It is connected to the reliability of the services that healthcare institutions provide.
Egbenusi’s emphasis on integrity places personal responsibility at the centre of professional administration. However, individual commitment must also be supported by institutional systems that promote transparency, establish clear procedures and provide appropriate channels for reporting concerns.
A healthcare institution that expects its employees to maintain high standards should also make responsibilities clear and ensure that decisions can be reviewed when necessary.
Such arrangements can help build an organisational culture in which diligence and accountability are expected rather than dependent on the personal character of individual workers alone.
Remember the Patient Behind Every File
One of the central messages in Egbenusi’s address was that administrators should remember the patient behind the documents and procedures they handle.
Administrative personnel may spend much of their working day dealing with files, forms, schedules and records rather than interacting directly with patients. This distance can make it easy to view tasks as routine paperwork rather than activities connected to someone’s health and wellbeing.
Egbenusi urged administrators not to lose sight of the human consequences of their work, even when their responsibilities involve documents rather than direct clinical care.
The principle is important because healthcare administration is not an end in itself. Its purpose is to support the safe, coordinated and effective delivery of services to people seeking medical attention.
A patient waiting for a referral to be processed may be dealing with pain, uncertainty or an urgent medical concern. Someone whose records cannot be located may experience delays while staff attempt to establish relevant medical information.
Administrative efficiency cannot resolve every challenge in healthcare, and clinical decisions must remain with appropriately qualified professionals. Nevertheless, reliable administrative support can help reduce avoidable confusion and make it easier for patients to navigate hospital services.
The patient-centred approach advocated by Egbenusi also reinforces the need for respectful communication, accurate documentation and careful handling of personal information.
Patients should not be reduced to entries in a register or numbers on a hospital form. Their records represent real people whose access to services can depend partly on how responsibly those records are managed.
By connecting administrative duties to patient welfare, Egbenusi encouraged professionals to view their work as part of the broader mission of healthcare rather than a separate bureaucratic function.
Respect and Cooperation Across Hospital Professions
Egbenusi further called on administrators to respect the other professions working alongside them while insisting on the recognition their own profession deserves.
Hospitals operate through the contributions of different groups, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory personnel, technicians, cleaners, finance officers and administrative staff. Their responsibilities differ, but their work often depends on cooperation.
When communication breaks down between departments, information may not reach the right people on time. Unclear responsibilities can lead to duplication, missed tasks or disagreements over who should resolve a problem.
Effective administration therefore requires professional respect and a clear understanding of how different roles contribute to the institution’s objectives.
Administrators must understand the operational needs of clinical teams, while clinical professionals also need to recognise the importance of the administrative processes that support patient services.
This does not mean that every department will always agree. Different teams may have competing priorities, particularly when resources are limited. What matters is whether disagreements can be addressed through professional communication, clear procedures and decisions centred on patient welfare.
Egbenusi’s appeal for mutual respect also reflects the need to avoid treating administrative personnel as less important simply because their contributions are less visible to patients.
Recognition should be connected to professional competence, accountability and the value of the work performed, rather than to whether a role involves direct contact with patients.
Challenges Facing Healthcare Administration
Egbenusi’s comments also invite a wider examination of the conditions under which health administrators work.
In any complex healthcare institution, administrators must coordinate people, information, equipment and resources while responding to changing operational demands. Their ability to perform these duties can be affected by staffing levels, training opportunities, technology, internal procedures and the resources available to their institutions.
Where record systems are unreliable, for example, staff may spend additional time searching for information or correcting documentation. Where procurement processes are slow, departments may struggle to obtain necessary supplies. Where responsibilities are poorly defined, tasks can be delayed while workers seek clarification.
These are general operational risks rather than specific failures established at the lecture or attributed to UBTH by Egbenusi.
Addressing such challenges requires more than asking individual workers to be diligent. Healthcare institutions also need functional systems, suitable equipment, clear lines of responsibility and opportunities for professional development.
Training can help administrators strengthen their technical knowledge and decision-making. Regular reviews can identify weaknesses in workflows, while appropriate digital systems can improve the storage and retrieval of information when properly implemented.
Management should also consider how staff performance is assessed. Measures of administrative effectiveness can include the accuracy of records, the reliability of internal processes, the timeliness of referrals and the efficient use of resources.
Such measures should be designed carefully so that workers are not encouraged to prioritise speed over accuracy or compliance.
The objective should be a system in which professional diligence is supported by institutional arrangements that make good performance possible.
Why the Message Matters to Nigeria’s Health Sector
Nigeria’s healthcare institutions need both competent clinical professionals and reliable administrative systems. The quality of patient services can be influenced by the interaction between the two.
When hospitals manage information, staff coordination and resources effectively, they are better positioned to organise services and respond to patient needs. Conversely, weaknesses in administrative processes can complicate the work of medical teams and create frustration for patients.
Egbenusi’s call for greater recognition of administrators is therefore relevant to discussions about healthcare management and institutional performance.
It encourages hospital leaders and policymakers to consider whether non-clinical professionals receive adequate training, support and recognition for the responsibilities they carry.
It also reinforces the need for healthcare institutions to assess their operations as connected systems rather than viewing clinical and administrative work as unrelated activities.
For patients, the importance of administration can be seen in everyday interactions: whether appointments are properly recorded, whether documents are available when needed, whether referrals are processed correctly and whether departments communicate effectively.
These processes may not replace the need for sufficient doctors, nurses, medicines, equipment or well-maintained facilities. They are, however, part of the organisational foundation required to use available resources effectively.
For administrators, the message is equally direct: the importance of their work carries a responsibility to maintain professional standards, protect integrity and remain attentive to the people affected by their decisions.
The wider lesson is that healthcare quality depends on cooperation across professional boundaries. Clinical excellence and administrative diligence should reinforce each other in pursuit of better patient services.
What Happens Next?
The public lecture highlighted the importance of diligence, capacity-building, integrity and professional recognition in health service administration. However, the report of the event did not announce a new government policy, funding commitment or formal implementation timetable arising from the address.
The practical significance of the message will depend on how healthcare institutions and professional bodies respond to the issues raised.
Possible areas for institutional attention include continuing professional education, stronger administrative procedures, clearer accountability arrangements and better cooperation between clinical and non-clinical departments. These are potential measures consistent with the concerns discussed at the lecture, not confirmed actions announced by Egbenusi.
The Institute of Health Service Administrators of Nigeria and healthcare institutions can also contribute to the discussion by identifying the professional skills administrators need as healthcare delivery changes.
For hospital managers, the challenge is to ensure that administrative staff are not simply expected to keep services running but are equipped to perform their responsibilities effectively.
For administrators themselves, Egbenusi’s message is a call to maintain diligence even when their work attracts little public attention, to make ethical decisions when no one is watching and to remember that behind every record is a person who may depend on the institution’s services.
Ultimately, the smooth running of a hospital is a shared responsibility. Doctors and nurses provide essential clinical expertise, while administrators help maintain the systems that allow healthcare services to function. Recognising both contributions is important to building institutions that serve patients more reliably.
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Sources
- Punch Healthwise — report published on October 8, 2026, on Venerable Osazee Egbenusi’s call for better treatment and recognition of health administrators.
- Institute of Health Service Administrators of Nigeria, University of Benin Teaching Hospital chapter — identified by Punch Healthwise as the organiser of the public lecture.
