Over the years, underdevelopment and complacency ravaging the health sector have caused the public to lose faith in Nigeria’s public health system. Instead, most residents have held down the preference of private health systems, regardless of the high cost. As a result, there have been consistent clamors as to the rotten state of the public health system. In a bid to change the status quo however, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu included the healthcare sector as an important part of his THEMES administrative agenda. In his efforts to fix this sector, his administration has been ensuring the improvement of facilities and accessibility to all residents of Lagos State. People oriented programmes are also being sustained in the healthcare system.
Evidently, these efforts have restored the faith of many residents in regards relying on public healthcare again. Surveys show that the number of births being recorded in Lagos State’s General Hospitals daily points to this restoration. Recently, Lagos Sate’s First Lady, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu presented gift items to the first babies of the year in three state owned hospitals — Maternal Child Center, Eti-Osa, Ebute-Meta General Hospital and the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja (LASUTH).
Construction of maternal facilities in place to improve accessible healthcare.
Mrs. Sanwo-Olu, who is also a medical practitioner noted that welcoming newborns were a symbolic and significant event that strengthened the assurances of human heritages being passed on to the next generation. She stated that babies were gifts from God, bringing good fortune to societies across the world. She said that presence at the event of welcoming the first babies of the year was to also seek opportunities to make impacts in the lives of the people who need assistance.
First Lady pointed out the enhanced maternal and child health indices that was being recorded in Lagos as an evidence of the administration’s implementation of the Maternal and Child Health policies, programmes and strategies. Upon commending the healthcare sector for their efforts geared towards improving the healthcare system in the state, she added that upgrading and construction of other maternal and child care facilities was in place to improve affordable and accessible mother and child healthcare services and reduce the morbidity and mortality rate in the state.
Lagos state fully committed to the welfarism of mothers and children.
She also lauded the efforts of philanthropists, cooperate bodies, non-governmental organizations and civil society organizations involved in complimenting the healthcare goal of the Lagos State Government. She urged other stakeholders to join the vision and support the state government in every possible way. The Commissioner of Health, Professor Akin Abayomi also commended the First Lady’s efforts in sustaining the First Baby of the Year event. According to him, the State Government had been fully committed to the welfarism of the mothers and children and the quality for efficient and accessible delivery of health services in the state.
The Health Commissioner also indicated the resoluteness of the Sanwo-Olu administration to reduce the rate of morbidity and child mortality in maternity. He explained that recent statistics were an indication of the improvement in the state’s health system. He further beseeched residents to enroll for the Lagos Health Insurance scheme, designed to grant Lagosians access to efficient and quality healthcare services. He noted that enrollment at the health insurance desk in every General hospital and primary health care centers in the state.
Community leaders urged to protect healthcare personnel & infrastructures.
Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health also stated that the state would not relent in its efforts of facilitating policies that would further improve the healthcare system in the state. He promised that the health services would be further implemented to ensure accessibility and efficient services to be enjoyed by all residents, regardless of their status. He urged community leaders to help the healthcare management with protecting the healthcare personnel and infrastructures against attacks.
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