The story of an Asylum Down boy who became the UGMC CEO

Ghana’s number one urban radio station premiered the season two of the Y Leaderboard Series segment on the ‘Myd Morning Radio Show’(MMRS), with an interview with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) Dr. Darius Osei.

The ‘Y Leaderboard Series’ is a segment with the objective to develop the youth and provide inspiration to listeners by hosting leaders and achievers in various industries in Ghana and beyond.

The second season, like the first, promises an unparalleled array of guests with inspiring stories to share with the teeming youth base of YFM.

The first guest to grace the ‘Y Leaderboard Series’ segment after an array of inspirational achievers in various disciplines was Dr. Darius Osei who is a seasoned hospital leadership and management expert with twenty-nine (29) years’ of experience in hospital management in both the public and private sectors.

The first-ever Chief Executive of the newly opened University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC), sat down with Rev. Erskine on Wednesday, 19 August 2020 in an interview where he narrated his riveting story as a legendary medical professional.

Dr. Darius Osei narrated how the ‘saving grace’ of his uncle rescued him from the streets of Asylum Down.

‘’If you know the environment at Asylum Down when we were growing up, you will know that you will have to be strong to survive. My Uncle came home and said let’s go for a ride and I never came home again. That was my most memorable day’’ he said.

He also shared how a life-threatening situation inspired him to become a medical doctor. ‘’ Something interesting happened when I entered St. Peters’ School; the school used to have zoos around with animals: snakes, baboons and the rest. And in form one first term, I was bitten by a Baboon. I was sent to Atibie Government Hospital in Kwahu.

At that time, the doctor was an American and I loved the way the man spoke to me, nursed my wound and I was impressed. So I said to myself that one day if I should become a doctor, I will come back here and work. I don’t know whether that influenced my vision and journey.

So when I finished medical school, I walked to the Ministry of Health and said I wanted to work at Atibie and the man said, ‘are you crazy? Nobody wants to go there’. But that memory was still there so I went to Atibie and stayed there for 10 years’’ he said.

The successful medical expert who was raised by a single mother also believes that empathy and care for the needy are essential attributes to make one successful.

‘’ If you don’t care about others, your success will not be anything to go by. The qualifications don't mean anything but the failures that come along every day help us to make corrections and then become better people’’ he noted.

He mentioned that trust and the ability to work in a team are endearing traits in the corporate environment. ‘’You should have qualities that will make people want to work with you. Trust and accepting inputs from your team are essential’’ he said.

He admitted that academic laurels are good, however, he said experiences that are derived from failure are the best teachers. ‘’The fact that you have an MBA or a Masters in Management doesn't make you a good manager either. Experience and failures give you a better learning opportunity to be a good manager’’

Dr. Darius Osei also shared secrets to making it in clinical leadership. ‘’Clinical Leadership requires continuous personal development, acting with integrity, and developing networks beyond your medical community and maintaining relationships’’ he revealed.

He admonished medical professionals to put their patients first. ‘’Learn to encourage contributions from others, and be a team player, Plan services well, mobilize revenue and ensure the overall safety of patients. Ghana must encourage medical innovations and technology coming on board’’ he stated.

Speaking about Dr. Darius Osei’s interview on Y Leaderboard series, Eddy Blay, the Programmes Manager of YFM said:

‘’Engaging and inspiring young people is vital, not only for their own development and wellbeing but for the communities they live in, too. Young people have a natural passion, enthusiasm and desire to make the world a better place.

As the best youth station, it’s a pleasure to bring this inspiration through our carefully selected interviews on the Y Leaderboard series.’’

He also congratulated Rev. Erskine on his new role as the host for the MTN Hitmaker and assured that the second season will also feature inspiring stories of accomplished Ghanaians.