Lagos Assembly Seeks Upgrade Of Five General Hospitals To Tertiary Level
Mojisola Lawal
Members of the Lagos state House of Assembly have sought the upgrade of general hospitals located in the five divisions of the state to tertiary level.
The general hospitals are Badagry, Alimosho, Ikorodu, Epe and Lagos Island general hospitals.
The lawmakers made the resolution on Monday after extensive deliberation on the report submitted by the Chairman House Committee on Health Services, Hon. Olusola Sokunle.
In the report, Hon. Sokunle said his committee went on investigation to the general hospitals across the state to know which among them require an upgraded to the tertiary level.
He said that the upgrade of the hospitals would reduce the pressure on the facilities of the Lagos state University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), while also 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 explained that the land mass, 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 ggeneral hospitals within the Lagos Island Division, saying that the proposed one should be picked outside Lagos Island area where there was enough general hospitals.
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.
However, 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 that there was need to collate data to know whether there is need to establish Renal Specialist hospital to address renal diseases.
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