For Hugging And Blowing A Kiss At A Colleague, See What Tribunal Did To A Nigerian Doctor In Canada

A Nigerian doctor based in Canada, Efe Ovueni has been suspended by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta Tribunal for what it termed ‘an unprofessional conduct’.

Efe’s unprofessional conduct was getting intimate with his colleague at work by hugging and blowing her  a kiss without her  consent on January 21, 2020 and was suspended for three months and fined $3,000, while being liable for the cost of hearing and investigation of the matter.

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The Doctor has also banned from medical practice for over 90 days, with the punitive measures announced on Thursday at a hearing by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA) tribunal.

The CPSA hearing was concluded in December 2021, with the verdict communicated to the Doctor.

 The Nigerian born doctor remorsefully admitted he commented the offence at the tribunal hearing, while promising to turn a new leaf.

“Ovueni’s practice permit shall be suspended for a period of three months, with two weeks to be served on dates acceptable to the Complaints Director and completed within six months of the date the Hearing Tribunal issues its written decision and 2.5 months held in abeyance on the condition that no further boundary concerns come to the attention of the Complaints Director and are referred to an investigation for a period of five years after the date the Hearing Tribunal issues its written decision,” the tribunal held.

According to the tribunal, the doctor’s actions did not meet the criteria for sexual misconduct under the Health Professions Act since the lady in question was a member of staff and not a patient.

“Rather, this was a case of a boundary violation between a physician and a co-worker, demonstrating unprofessional conduct that was wholly unacceptable,” the tribunal’s report added.

Continuing, the tribunal report read, “If further boundary concerns come to the attention of the Complaints Director and are referred to an investigation within five years from the date the Hearing Tribunal issues its written decision, the Complaints Director shall be at liberty to impose the remaining 2.5 months suspension on Dr. Ovueni’s practice permit.

“If no further boundary concerns come to the attention of the Complaints Director and are referred to an investigation within five years from the date the Hearing Tribunal issues its written decision, the remaining 2.5-month suspension shall expire.”