Sanwo-Olu commissions health facilities, seeks support on infrastructural challenges

The Lagos State Government has called on corporate organisations, Non-Governmental Organisations and religious bodies to collaborate with it toward addressing infrastructure deficit in the state.

Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu made the call on Tuesday at the commissioning of the Maternal and Child Centre (MCC), in Eti-Osa Local Council Development Area.

Sanwo-Olu said that the collaboration was necessary to enable government bring good governance to residents.

The governor said that efforts would be geared towards providing accessible, affordable and quality healthcare to Lagosians.

”We will ensure quality health service delivery, increase access to maternal and child health services in Lagos State,” he said.

The Nigeria News Agency reports that Sanwo-Olu commissioned three key projects in Ajah, Eti-Osa Local Council Development Area (LCDA), namely; the newly built 110-bed Maternal and Child Centre (MCC), a 12-block classroom junior secondary school and a rehabilitated Primary Health Centre.

In her remarks, The wife the governor, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, said that the 110-bed facility, sitting on a four-floor edifice, would go a long way to bring about considerable improvement in the maternal and child health indices of Lagos State.

Sanwo-Olu said that it was gratifying that it had been equipped with state-of-the-art facilities to ensure top-class health services for users.

”As a mother and medical doctor, I fully understand and appreciate the positives we stand to gain from this all-important medical facility.

”Anything we do for our children today will definitely play a key role in the adults they grow to become in future, and this facility, MCC, has been specially designed to provide integrated healthcare services for women of child bearing age and children.

”It has modern equipment and furniture that would enhance the achievement of better maternal and child health indices in Eti-Osa Local Government Area and adjoining environs.

”It will also go a long way to boost our goal of achieving universal health coverage,” Mrs Sanwo-Olu said.

She said that about a month ago, the Lagos State Government flagged off Free Medical Mission for 21,000 children and adults in partnership with Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu/Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat (BOSKOH) Lagos Healthcare Mission International.

The wife of the governor said that the free medical mission was part of efforts to play up the health of residents, especially children.

According to her, over 21,000 people were screened at seven centres over a period of six days.

”802 residents have successfully undergone pediatric eye surgery, adult eye surgery, pediatric surgery, dental surgery, orthopedic surgery and Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) surgery.

”Another 615 persons booked for various surgeries, making it a total of 1417 free surgeries carried out through the health mission.

”As we speak, another free health mission has been perfected to carry out surgical interventions for 100 residents with lipomas, breast lumps, hernia and fibroid, as part of activities to commemorate the 100 days in Office of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration,” she said.

The Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said that the delivery of qualitative and effective healthcare services in response to the ever-increasing healthcare demand of the expanding population in Lagos was paramount to the administration.

Abayomi said that according to the 2017 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, across the whole of Nigeria, it was estimated that for every 100,000 pregnant women 576 of them die at childbirth, while that of Lagos was currently estimated at 555.

He said that in Nigeria, for every 1,000 live births, sadly 77 do not live to make it to their first birthday, while for Lagos, the figure was 45.

”So while Lagos is marginally better than the rest of Nigeria, we still have a long way to go.

”This MCC is designated to serve the local community and contribute to improving Universal Health Coverage for the good people of Lagos State.

”The Maternal and Child Care or MCC concept is aimed at squarely addressing the Sustainable Development Goal 5b, which is to reduce child death from 45 to less than 20 per 1,000 live births and the death of pregnant mothers to less than 40 per 100,000 births.

”But in actual fact who wants any pregnant mother or child to die for any reason. Which of us want to loose a mother or a child?,” the commissioner said.

He said that over the last 10 years, the Lagos State Government had constructed, equipped, furnished and commissioned seven of such Maternal and Child Centres in Isolo, Ikorodu, Ifako-Ijaye, Amuwo-Odofin, Gbaja (Surulere), Ajeromi and Alimosho.

”This health facility will be the eighth Maternal and Child Centre to be built and commissioned and there are two other MCC’s in development that this administration is accelerating and nearing completion in Badagry and Epe and more will follow.

”This is in an effort to get to zero tolerance for any deaths in our precious mothers and children,” Abayomi said.

(NAN)

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