Lagos Assembly mulls upgrade of 5 General Hospitals

IBRAHIM QUADRI

Lawmakers in the Lagos State House of Assembly have sought for the upgrade of five general hospitals to tertiary level in the five divisions of the State.

The five general hospitals are Badagry, Alimosho, Ikorodu, Epe and Lagos Island general hospitals.

The lawmakers made the resolution on Monday after the deliberation on the report submitted by the Chairman House Committee on Health Services, Hon. Olusola Sokunle.

In the report, the Chairman said that the committee went on investigation to the general hospitals across the state to know the suitable hospitals that could be upgraded to the tertiary level.

Sokunle said that the upgrading of the general hospitals would reduce the pressure witnessed by the facilities of the Lagos state University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), calling for the establishment of Renal and Neuro Department in the proposed five general hospitals.

He also called for the overhauling of the Primary Health Centres (PHCs) by the state government, adding that the local governments should intensify awareness and sensitisation about the usefulness of the centres in the Councils.

The Chairman disclosed that the landmass, high tech equipment and quality of the medical personnel were part of the consideration before the five general hospitals were chosen.

Debating the report, Hon. Wahab Jimoh (Apapa 2), observed that there was need to consider other general hospitals within the Lagos Island Division, saying that general hospital within the Lagos Mainland axis should be considered.

Jimoh argued that Lagos Island has been saturated with general hospitals that could attend to the medical needs of the people on the Island, adding that general hospitals in Surulere  and Lagos Mainland could be considered for the upgrade.

The Chief Whip, Hon. Mojisola Meirada (Apapa 1), argued that aside the establishment of renal department in the upgraded general hospitals, there should be a trauma and bone department in each of them, saying that it would help in reducing the pressure on the Gbagada hospital trauma facility.

Meanwhile, Hon. Moshood Oshun ( Lagos Mainland 2), made case for the establishment of more general hospitals across the state, saying that instead of converting the five hospitals to tertiary level more could be established to allow easy accessibility by the residents.

Oshun argued that the funds that could be used to upgrade the hospitals could be used to establish new general hospitals in the local governments.

The Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Mudashiru Obasa, said that there was need to sustain the glory of the five general hospitals by upgrading them to tertiary level.

Obasa said that there was need to create synergy among general hospitals, saying data wiuid have to be collater to know whether there is need to establish Renal Specialist hospital to address renal diseases.