Sanwo-Olu’s wife assures of huge investment in health sector

Wife of Lagos State governor, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, has given assurance of the unwavering commitment of the present administration to invest massively in the provision of quality healthcare services to the people of the state, saying that no effort would be spared to improve on the situation in the sector.

Dr Sanwo-Olu, a medical practitioner by profession that served the state government in different capacities within the health sector for 25 years, gave this assurance while speaking at the 5^th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of Critical Care Society of Nigeria held on Thursday at White House Hotel, Ikeja.

The governor’s wife reiterated that the safety of residents was of paramount importance to the governor, saying that every necessary action would be taken to protect the people.

She said it was gratifying to note that the Critical Care Unit of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) had so far successfully carried out about 15 Open Heart surgeries, among others this year.

ALSO READ: Land developer faces N11.3m accommodation fraud charge

Besides, she said an Intensive Care Unit had also been established at the newly unveiled Ayinke House, all in efforts geared towards improving healthcare delivery.

“The surgeries were possible through the investment of government in the health sector, and efforts of our medical personnel and I must assure you that there will be a huge improvement in funding of the health sector in the current administration,” Dr Sanwo-Olu said.

The governor’s wife said she was very much aware of the fact that professionals in the sector were looking to her to make a positive impact, just as she urged them to collaborate with the government to scale up healthcare delivery.

“Lagos State government is interested in the health sector especially knowing that you have one of your persons positioned there. I know the Critical Care Society of Nigeria, as well as the other groups within the health sector, will always continuously pull and depend on me to talk to the governor when you have recommendations.

“We would try our best to do as much as we can in our capacity to improve the health sector. We know the standard that we have at the moment, and we pray to God helping us, to improve more than what it was before. We would work as a team both at the PHC level, the secondary healthcare level and the tertiary level so that there is no disconnect and we also have a seamless approach to patient care.

“For us, the safety of our people in Lagos State is very important, and we would do everything possible to improve the health sector,” she said.

Speaking separately at the 2019 Healthcare Nigeria Conference of Hygeia HMO with the theme: “Healthcare In Nigeria: Transformative Solutions,” held at Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Dr Sanwo-Olu said the task of delivering an efficient and effective healthcare could only be accomplished through a collaborative effort of individuals, organisations, government, NGOs and development partners.

One of the discussants at the conference, Mr Akinwande Ademosu, in his remark, said for Nigeria to rise, the people must be healthy and have access to affordable and quality healthcare.

“We have to start thinking new; we have to start thinking innovatively to do the right thing even if against the convention. We must start to use genetics, lifestyle and the environment to promote the health of our people.

“For us to achieve healthcare inclusion in Nigeria, we must be willing to do the right thing; we must deliver convenience, adopt technology and make healthcare available and affordable to the people,” he said.