Regina doctor faces second professional misconduct charge
REGINA A second allegation of inappropriate sexual touching has emerged against a Regina doctor, according to charge documents released by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan (CPSS).
On Sept. 14, Dr. Sylvester Ukabam was charged with professional misconduct for an alleged “sexual boundary breach.”
This charge is in addition to a similar misconduct charge laid against him by the CPSS earlier this year.
The latest allegation accused Ukabam, a gastroenterologist, of inappropriately touching a female patient’s genitalia and vagina without consent or a valid medical reason during an examination on or around June 23, 2014.
The patient claims she was directed to undress, put on a gown and then position herself on an examination table with her buttocks in the air.
It’s also alleged that after the examination, Ukabam watched the patient get dressed and then gave her a hug.
“The allegations are serious,” said Bryan Salte, associate registrar and legal counsel for the CPSS. “It’s the kind of conduct which, if everything is proved, could certainly result in loss of licensure.”
Salte said the CPSS has notified Ukabam’s legal council of the latest charge and are awaiting a response.
Assuming there’s no admission of guilt, “we’ll be working towards a relatively early hearing,” said Salte.
He added it could be as soon as the next few months.
“We will try to ascribe a higher priority to those matters which raise public safety issues,” said Salte about the process of setting hearing dates.
He said he considers Ukabam’s charges to be a public safety issue.
Salte said the cases are not complex enough to require time for expert evidence to be gathered and will rely mostly on the evidence provided by the two patients who came forward with complaints.
The first misconduct charge was filed by CPSS on Jan. 19, 2018, and related to an April 24, 2017, examination similarly alleging Ukabam inappropriately touched a different patient’s vagina without a valid medical reason.
According to the charge document, Ukabam allegedly asked the woman to disrobe and put on a medical gown backwards, so the opening was facing the front. He then instructed her to lay back, allegedly “exposing her body without adequate draping.” The charge further alleges that during the examination he moved a chair that blocked — or at least seemed to block — the door of the examination room.
At the time, Ukabam denied the allegation and declined to comment further.
According to the CPSS, disciplinary charges are laid after an investigation, which includes interviews with the complainant and the accused doctor.
A committee then examines the evidence to see if there are sufficient grounds for a charge. The college then offers the opportunity for a hearing.
Postmedia News attempted to reach Ukabam at his downtown Regina office Thursday afternoon, but was told he would not be commenting.