LAGOS PROCURES N2.5 BILLION HEALTH EQUIPMENT

Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. 'Modele Osunkiyesi and the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris briefing newsmen on procurement of the health equipment.

The Lagos State Government has procured N2.5 billion health equipment to boost the delivery of qualitative healthcare in the State General Hospitals and Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris has said.

Idris who disclosed this over the weekend while briefing newsmen on efforts made to improve on access and quality of healthcare in the State’s secondary & tertiary and health facilities noted that the equipment which include General Out-Patient Department (OPD) equipment, Anaesthetic equipment, Theatre equipment and Laboratory equipment will apart from aiding the delivery of qualitative health services also help enhance provision of qualitative care comparable to the ones available in developed countries.

Some of the newly procured equipment

“These huge investments in infrastructural upgrade and procurement of equipment in the health sector will help foster an enabling environment for the implementation and take-off of the much awaited Lagos State Health Scheme (LSHS) which will ensure that residents have unfettered access to qualitative care.

“With these in place, residents of the State are readily offered the opportunity of making choices of health care delivery within a wide range of well renovated and fully equipped hospitals. The scheme will reduce out of pocket expenses on medical care, promote access to qualitative health care, reduce incidence of chronic diseases as citizenry will be encouraged to present earlier as financial barrier to positive health seeking behaviors would have been removed”, the Commissioner said.

Idris stated that the infrastructural development projects embarked upon by the Akinwunmi led administration in the health sector include the construction of Helipad at LASUTH, Purchase of 20 Mobile Intensive Care Unit (MICU) ambulances, purchase of 26 transport ambulances, power generators and mobile x-ray machines for all the secondary and tertiary health facilities.

According to him, other infrastructural upgrade embarked on included the installation of additional mortuary refrigerators at Ikorodu and Mainland Hospital Mortuaries, completion of the renovation and upgrading of Epe General Hospital which involves renovation of theatre complex, X-ray, Laboratory, Pharmacy, Out-patient Department and Accident & Emergency unit.

The Commissioner added that renovation works were also carried out in phases in several General Hospitals within the State with phase one involving Apapa General Hospital, Epe General Hospital and Mainland General Hospital.

“Phase two included renovation works at Orile-Agege, Agbowa, Gbagada and Ikorodu General Hospitals and Lagos Island Maternity Hospital while Phase three included renovation works at LASUTH, Badagry, Alimosho and Surulere General Hospitals, Accident and Emergency Centre at the Toll Gate, Ijede Health Centre and  Ketu Ejinrin Health Centre”, he said.

Idris noted that the effect of infrastructural development in the health sector by the state, aside from enhancing the efficiency of the health workforce and increasing the scope and quality of service delivered at the health facilities was geared towards ensuring that Lagos State emerged as a prime global destination for persons in quest of qualitative medical care.

Some of the newly procured equipment

Some of the newly procured equipment

Some of the newly procured equipment

“The huge investment in the health sector by this administration is triggered by the noble goal that every Lagosian enjoys unfettered access to qualitative healthcare without significant geographical, financial, cultural or political barriers. The basis for sustained investments in health by this administration is borne out of the conviction that in the pursuit of the public good, individual health needs are also met and secured.

“These modest contributions can be viewed from the perspective of the positive impact which the health of Lagosians has on the overall development of population groups in the State and national economy”, the Commissioner said.

While appealing to health workers to put the equipment and facilities to good use and ensure that they are well maintained, protected and preserved to serve the purpose of which they were procured for, Idris assured residents that the year 2018 will be a better year in terms of improved healthcare delivery.

The Commissioner stated that several welfare issues with doctors under the employ of the state government has been addressed while those not addressed are being looked into.

“We have made a proposal to increase the numbers of beneficiaries of various health related training programmes both on attitude and clinical services. The Service Charter is being beefed up to complement the roles of Health Service Commission while the services of different Civil Society Groups have been engaged to provide information and feedback to government on the conduct of our hospital workers.” He said.

  

Special Adviser to the Governor on Primary Health Care, Dr. Olufemi Onanuga; Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, Chief Medical Director, LASUTH, Prof. Wale Oke and the Honourable Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris during an inspection tour of health facilities in Lagos.

LAGOS RESTATES COMMITMENT TO REDUCTION OF NON COMMUNICABLE DISEASES

Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. ‘Modele Osunkiyesi; Special Adviser on Primary Health Care, Dr. Olufemi Onanuga, and the Chairman, Ojokoro Local Council Development Area, Mr. Hameed Tijani at the commemoration of the 5^th State Wellness Week Programme in Lagos.

The Lagos State Government has once again restated its commitment to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like hypertension, diabetes and cancers of the breast, cervix and prostate through the implementation of effective strategies.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Primary Health Care, Dr. Olufemi Onanuga who disclosed this recently during the commemoration the 5^th round State Wellness Week Programme at Kola Primary Healthcare Centre in Ojokoro local council development noted the burden of NCDs is high and the challenge of combating the diseases has some unprecedented dimensions.

“It is expensive and strains our already overburdened health systems, diverting scarce resources from other important development priorities. The rise of chronic non-communicable diseases presents every nation’s public health with an enormous challenge.”, he said.

Onanuga stated that the Lagos State government remains resolute in ensuring that residents are appropriately empowered to become responsible for their health and take all necessary precautions towards prevention and control of diseases in the State.

The Special Adviser added that the State government will continue to intensify community advocacy, mobilization and sensitization interventions for disease control and prevention.

Said he, “We are determined to reduce the burden of these diseases through implementation of strategies such as awareness creation, sensitization and mobilization (ACSM); early detection and prompt treatment of those affected. This we believe will ensure favourable outcome for these medical condition”

While adding that the State government has put in place all requisite health care resources to reduce these diseases burden, the Special Adviser noted that health care facilities in the State including Primary Health Centres, General Hospitals and the State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) are continually being renovated, staffed and equipped to address the NCDs management needs of the people.

Onanuga explained that the State government’s sponsored wellness week programme provides an opportunity to create awareness and provide screening services for NCDs for the benefit of residents of Lagos adding that the NCDs involved in the exercise are Hypertension, Diabetes, Cancers of the Breast and Cervix in women and Cancer of the Prostate in men. 

“This programme is targeted at increasing awareness, reducing missed opportunities and maximizing the benefits of integration of health services towards combating non communicable diseases”, he said.

Earlier in his address, the Chairman, Ojoko Local Council Development Area, Mr. Hameed Tijani appealed to residents to ensure they go for routine medical check with a view to know their health status and take care of whatever arises without delay especially for non-communicable diseases like hypertension, diabetes, breast, cervical and prostate cancers.

LASG SHUTS 21 ILLEGAL PHARMACIES AND PATENT MEDICINE STORES

 ……….Vows to Sustain War against Fake, Substandard Drugs and Illegal Pharmacies 

No fewer than 21 pharmacies and patent medicine shops at Egbeda, Shasha, Dopemu,Command, Idimu, Ipaja, Orile-Agege and Cement in Alimosho and Agege Local government area of Lagos were sealed on November 21, 2017  by the Lagos State Task force on Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods for offences bordering illegal operation, operating beyond scope amongst others, the State Government has said.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Primary Health Care, Dr. Olufemi Onanuga who disclosed this in his office at Alausa, Ikeja recently while reviewing the report of the operation by the Task force noted that the recent operation was coming on the heels of the war being waged against fake drugs and illegal drug shops.

Explaining the reason for the closure, Onanuga explained that the affected pharmacies and patent medicine shops indulge in the practice of operating without license, engaging unqualified persons to man and dispense drugs to unsuspecting citizens, operating beyond scope through sale of ethical products and displaying and storing drugs in unconducive environments which compromise the potency and integrity of the drugs product rendering them ineffective.

“Although some of the pharmacies visited were registered, it is disheartening to note that quite a number of them had no qualified pharmacists on ground to attend to the public resulting in the display of expired drugs for sale to the public”, the Special Adviser said.

Revealing that some of the premises visited also engaged in illegal clinical practices such as patient admission and setting of intravenous infusions, Onanuga said that the practice is unacceptable and vowed that the State government will do whatever is necessary to enforce the law and sanction erring operators. 

He noted that the sealing of these pharmacies and patent medicine stores was in accordance with the provisions of Section C34 of the Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods (Miscellaneous Provision) Act of 1999, No. 25. 

“Licensed patent medicine vendors are authorized to sell only drug products in their original packs in approved pack size as produced by the manufacturing companies. The law prohibits dispensing and wholesaling of drugs by patent medicine vendors,” he said. 

The Special Adviser warned that the activities of the State Task Force on Fake Drugs would not only be sustained, but intensified until operators in the sector adhere strictly to the provisions of the law on the operation of pharmacies and patent medicine shops, in order to safeguard the health of the citizenry. 

Onanuga later explained that an investigative meeting would be held later in the week at the Pharmaceutical Inspectorate Unit of the Ministry where members of the Task Force would meet with the owners of the sealed premises to make further inquiries on the status of the sealed premises and to notify them of the procedures and appropriate conditions to be met for reopening in line with government regulations and payment of administrative fee. 

“Government will not relent in its efforts to stop the inherent dangers associated with the operations from unlicensed pharmaceutical outlets and drug shops and as such we are re-energized to continue this on-going war against fake, expired and substandard drugs being peddled by unlicensed and illegal premises. This closure is thus part of the government’s renewed efforts to sanitize the drug distribution system and curb proliferation of fake drugs in the State” he stated.  

The enforcement and compliance raid by the State Task force on Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods was carried out in collaboration with the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Pharmacists’ Council of Nigeria (PCN), Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Federal Taskforce on fake drugs and the Police Officers from Environmental and Special Offences Unit (Task Force) of Lagos Police Command.