Lagos assembly to probe abandoned N7bn hospital equipment

Lagos State House of Assembly has moved to probe the abandonment of N7billion cardiac-Renal facility centre in Gbagada General Hospital.

The Lagos State Cardiac and Renal Centre, Gbagada, a multi-billion naira health facility, is presumed to be one of the signature legacies of the administration of former Governor Babatunde Fashola, neglected by his successor, Akinwunmi Ambode.

The abandonment of the facility came with a huge cost, especially with the rising statistics of Lagosians, and indeed Nigerians, who are battling with various cardiac and renal diseases.

The Speaker of the House, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, made this disclosure on the floor of the House during the presentation of the report by the acting committee chairman on Health, Hon. Akeem Sokunle.

Obasa stated that the House embarked on a tour to ascertain health facilities across the state and observed the decrepit state of the facility.

“We observed that there is a shortage of manpower, non-functioning ambulances, insecurity, unequipped laboratories and more importantly abandonment of multi-billion naira cardio-renal facility.

“Most of the equipment in the hospital is not working and I got a report that the cardiorenal machines only worked for two weeks before the facility was locked up.

“Also, most of the sensitive equipment is obsolete,” Obasa said.

The speaker,  who expressed displeasure over the state of the facility, also stated that there would have been a reduction in the loss of lives in the state if the facility had been in good condition.

“If these facilities are functioning, we would have saved many lives and reduced the constant medical tours to India,” he said.