Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has promised to construct a general hospital at Eti-Osa to serve the health needs of residents of the area and increase access to quality health services.
Sanwo-Olu who stated this today while unveiling a four floor 110-bed Maternal and Child Centre (MCC) in Eti-Osa noted that the ultra-modern facility will go a long way in improving access to quality health care for our mothers, newly born babaies and children and ultimately impact the maternal and under-five morbidity and mortality rates in Eti-Osa and its environs.
“It is expected that this completed MCC will be a building block for other health services to be added-on in time, with the ultimate goal of having a full-fledged and befitting Secondary Health Facility for Eti-Osa to serve its catchment population” , the Governor said.
He noted that the Eti-Osa MCC is the eight facility to be provided by government to provide specialized mother and child care services adding that two other similar facility located in Epe and Badagry which is under construction will be completed in time.
Speaking earlier, the wife of the Lagos State Governor, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu said the completion and launch of the facility has further reinforced the commitment of the present administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to fully implement the promises made to Lagosians as captured in the six pillars of developmental agenda for the State otherwise known as the T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda.
She added that that the 110-bed facility sitting on a four-floor edifice, will bring about considerable improvement in the maternal and child health indices of Lagos State noting that the facilities has been equipped with state-of-the-art facilities to ensure top class health services for users.
“As a mother and medical doctor myself, 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”, Dr. Sanwo-Olu said.
The first lady noted that the facility 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 stressing that it will also boost State’s goal of achieving universal health coverage.
Speaking in the same vein, Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi explained that 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.
He said that the 2017 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey indicates, 576 pregnant women die at child birth out of every 100,000 pregnant women while the statistics for Lagos is currently estimated at 555 deaths out of 100,000 pregnant women.
“In Nigeria for every 1,000 live births, sadly 77 don’t live to make it to their first birthday while for Lagos that figure is 45. So while Lagos is marginally better than the rest of Nigeria, we still have a long way to go”, the Commissioner said.
He noted the MCC at Eti Osa has been specially designed to provide integrated healthcare for the mother and child. He added that the facility is the only one on this axis of Eti-Osa, Lekki and Epe of Lagos servicing a target population of not less than 2 million people with its world class facilities.
“This health facility will be the eighth Maternal and Child Centre to be built and commissioned and there are two other MCCs in development that this administration is accelerating and nearing completion in Badagry and Epe and more will follow, all in an effort to get to zero tolerance for any deaths in our precious mothers and children. This clearly demonstrates the continuity of good governance and policies in Lagos State”, the Commissioner said.
Abayomi explained that facility has been adequately staffed with three specialists who look after pregnant women and issues related to women, three specialists that look after the new-born and children and thirty medical officers, eighty nurses and other disciplines such as pharmacists, medical laboratory and allied health professionals
According to him, the 100 bed admission capacity provided by the facility will boost the bed capacity in State-owned health facilities and allow for admission of patients from both public and private sector in the surrounding areas.
“The provision of this ultra-modern facility will go a long way to improving patient care and reducing complications and death during all stages of pregnancy and it will also ensure that our new-born babies and children in the community receive the best possible care during their development making sure our children grow strong and healthy and become intelligent and productive members of society”, he said.
