Unprofessional conduct case against Regina gynecologist drags on

A hearing this week has failed to resolve a years-old accusation of sexual abuse against a Regina gynecologist, and he continues to practice.

In 2014, a charge of unprofessional conduct was laid on Dr. Olanrewaju Onasanya, also known as Dr. Lanre Onasanya, by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan.

The complaint alleged that during an exam in March 2011, Onasanya made a comment to the patient about her appearance and her piercings and then performed a breast exam and a pelvic exam inappropriately.

Click here to see the charges against Onasanya – warning: they are graphic in nature.

The hearing on the charge happened this week.

Bryan Salte, legal counsel and associate registrar with the college, said half of those two years was due to the college getting its case together, while the other half of the delay resulted from scheduling issues with Onasanya’s counsel.

He said two years should be an irregular amount of time to get to a hearing, and the college is doing everything it can to speed up hearings in general.

Salte said the hearing was scheduled for a little more than two days but, because of some issues which arose during the hearing, it had to be adjourned to another date and he didn’t know when that might be.

“We are going to do everything we can to expedite it, but it will take what time it takes.”

In the meantime, Onasanya is still practicing in Regina. His license to practice was not revoked when the unprofessional conduct charge was laid.

Salte said the courts set a high bar for when a license can be suspended.

“There has to be evidence of a pressing danger to the public that can only be alleviated by completely removing the physician from practice.”

Salte said there was an allegation of sexual abuse of a patient, which Onasanya denied, and explained the evidence the college had didn’t meet the court’s standard.