Lagos upgrades 40 healthcare centres to attend to sexual assault cases

LAGOS State government has upgraded 40 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across the state to cater for sexual assault related cases.

To this end, the state Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT), in partnership with the Ministry of Health and the Primary Health Care Board, has stepped up efforts to implement the already launched Sexual Assault Standing Order and Sexual Assault Evidence Examination Kit also known as ‘Rape Kits’.

Coordinator of DSVRT, Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, disclosed this at a training session for health workers of PHCs, saying the centres had been empowered to render 24-hour service, laboratory testing, HIV counselling and testing, and maternal and child health services.

According to Vivour-Adeniyi, participants at the training were drawn from 10 areas, including Agege Local Government Area (LGA), Orile Agege Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Ajeromi Ifelodun LGA, Ifelodun LCDA, Apapa LGA, Apapa Iganmu LCDA, Badagry LGA, Olorunda LCDA, Ibeju Lekki LGA and Lekki LCDA.

The DSVRT coordinator said the continuous trainings and upgrade of health facilities were in furtherance of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s desire to ensure that all survivors of sexual assaults, irrespective of class or means, receive comprehensive medical care at no cost.

She recalled that the rape kits were launched in 2016 and were currently available at all comprehensive PHCs.

She expressed optimism that the training would improve the quality and documentation of evidence collection for sexual assault patients, pointing out that the training was organised by the Lagos State DSVRT with technical support from United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

“In the unfortunate case of a sexual assault, members of the public are advised to go to the closest comprehensive Primary Health Care Centre to receive optimal care,” Vivour-Adeniyi said.