Lagos State Government, on Saturday, said that plans are underway to launch Endowment Fund to defray the cost of pediatric surgeries for needy babies in the state.
Wife of Lagos State governor, Dr (Mrs.) Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu made the disclosure this during a courtesy visit to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, as part of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO).
COWLSO led by Dr Sanwo-Olu is celebrating its 19th Annual Conference.
The governor’s wife said it was important to make the right investment in healthcare delivery to play up the health of the people, and also support the needy, pointing out that the present administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had already identified healthcare as a major sector to be massively supported in line with efforts to ensure a greater Lagos.
“We decided to do our CSR here; this is Ayinke House in LASUTH. We are hoping that we would send the message down to the people that there is need for us to invest in our patients, as well as invest in our doctors and nurses so that they can deliver good healthcare to our people in Lagos State which is one of the key pillars of the development agenda of the government of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for a greater Lagos.
“We have come here and we have identified something we can take up as our project and that is endowment fund for the pediatric surgeries that are being done here. Already, the Lagos State government is doing 0-12 free healthcare for children but we need to also partner with them to do endowment fund and encourage a lot of people to also partner with us,” she said.
Also, the Lagos First Lady, accompanied by the wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs Oluremi Hamzat and hundreds of COWLSO members, embarked on ‘Awareness Walk’ from LASUTH to Lagos House in Alausa, Ikeja, as part of efforts to further inform residents on the forthcoming National Women Conference of COWLSO.
The conference, with the theme: “Unlearn, Learn And Relearn: 21st Century Women’s T.H.E.M.E.S Perspectives/Approach,” is designed to empower women with skills to key into emerging opportunities being provided by the administration in the State.
Chief Medical Director of LASUTH, Professor Adeokunbo Fabamwo, said the management of LASUTH was extremely delighted to partner with the First Lady to support the needy babies through the endowment fund.
According to him, “We are very delighted to have the First Lady, the wife of the Deputy Governor and the whole of the COWLSO crowd here in LASUTH. We are also pleased with the endowment fund for needy babies. The government of Lagos State has a free health policy for 0-12 and this has been on since 1999 but we need to assist government.
“So, we want to appeal to high-net-worth individuals and corporate organizations to put funds in that endowment fund because some of those children, for instance, need cancer care. Cancer drugs are very expensive and government may not be able to provide everything; that is what the whole idea of the endowment fund is all about.
“This is a laudable project. I thank the First Lady for this endowment fund and I again use this opportunity to call on individuals and corporate organizations to come around and support the First Lady’s project for the treatment of needy babies; it is very commendable and we welcome it.”