 |
| (L-R): Dr. Olufemi Onanuga, Special Adviser to the Governor on Primary Health Care; Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, Governor of Lagos State; Prof. Wale Oke, Chief Medical Director, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) and Dr. Jide Idris, Commissioner for Health during an inspection tour of health facilities in Lagos. Inset: Some of the newly procured equipments |
Chioma Umeha
Following increasing health facility utilisation
of key health care services, Lagos State Government has procured N2.5 billion
worth health equipment to boost the delivery of qualitative healthcare in the
state’s General and Teaching
Hospital.
Dr. Jide Idris, the state Commissioner for
Health who announced this at a
press briefing at weekend, in Ikeja, said
that the move is to meet progressive increase in the health facility
utilisation trends for essential healthcare services.
Idris, also said that the efforts is directed to improve the quality of healthcare in the state’s
secondary, tertiary and health facilities.
He noted that the equipment which included General
Out-Patient Department (OPD) equipment, Anaesthetic equipment, Theatre
equipment and Laboratory equipment would also enhance provision of qualitative
care comparable to the ones available in developed countries. “These huge
investments in infrastructural upgrade and procurement of equipment in the
health sector will help foster an enabling environment for the implementation
and take-off of the much awaited Lagos State Health Scheme (LSHS) which will
ensure that residents have unfettered access to qualitative care,” he said.
Idris highlighted the infrastructural development
projects embarked upon by the Ambode-led administration in the health sector to
include the construction of helipad at the Lagos State University Teaching
hospital (LASUTH); purchase of 20 Mobile Intensive Care Unit (MICU) ambulances;
purchase of 26 transport ambulances, power generators and mobile x-ray machines
for all the secondary and tertiary health facilities.
Other infrastructural upgrade embarked on
according to him, are: The
installation of additional mortuary refrigerators at Ikorodu and Mainland
Hospital Mortuaries; completion of the renovation and upgrading of Epe General
Hospital which involves renovation of theatre complex, X-ray, Laboratory,
Pharmacy, Out-patient Department and Accident & Emergency unit.
The Commissioner added that renovation works were
also carried out in phases in several General Hospitals within the state with
phase one involving Apapa General Hospital, Epe General Hospital and Mainland
General Hospital.
Phase II included renovation works at Orile-Agege,
Agbowa, Gbagada and Ikorodu General Hospitals and Lagos Island Maternity
Hospitalwhile Phase III included renovation works at LASUTH Ikeja, Badagry,
Alimosho and Surulere General Hospitals, Accident and Emergency at Toll Gate,
Ijede Health Centre and Ketu
Ejinrin Health Centre.
“This is especially pertinent with respect to the
health needs of various population age groups with a resultant overstretching
of the resources and capacity of the existing public health facilities
requiring urgent but multi-faceted strategic interventions.
“It was in this context that strategic
infrastructural development of the health sector, upgrading of the existing
facilities to a reputable standard and provision of key equipment was embarked
upon by the State Government,” he said.
Idris added that the effect of infrastructural
development in the health sector by the State, aside from enhancing the
efficiency of the health workforce and increasing the scope and quality of service
delivered at the health facilities was geared towards ensuring that Lagos State
emerged as a prime global destination for persons in quest of qualitative
medical care.
“With an unwavering commitment towards enthroning
an efficient and effective system for healthcare service delivery in the State
health sector in line with international best practices, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode,
the Governor of Lagos State also graciously approved the Global procurement of
equipment necessary for the delivery of qualitative healthcare in Lagos State
Secondary Healthcare Facilities and the Lagos State University Teaching
Hospital (LASUTH) in 2016 with the objective of upgrading healthcare service
delivery in the State public health facilities for the optimum benefit of Lagos
residents,” he stated.
Idris said the contract for the procurement of the
equipment was subsequently awarded to four contractors via a competitive
bidding process in compliance with the Public Procurement Law of Lagos State.
The scheme will reduce out of pocket expenses on
medical care, promote access to qualitative health care, reduce incidence of
chronic diseases as citizenry will be encouraged to present earlier as
financial barrier to positive health seeking behaviours would have been
removed, he argued.
Idris appealed to the end users, which are the
health workers to put the equipment to good use and ensure that they were well
maintained, protected and preserved to serve the purpose of which they were
procured for.
