By Segun Fatuase
Undoubtedly, Lagos state Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is determined to ‘walk the talk’ with his committed move to actualise the blueprint on transforming medical infrastructure in the Centre of Excellence and ensure that residents have adequate access to quality healthcare, irrespective of their socio-economic status.
This is in tune with the drive to make qualitative medicare an integral part of the Greater Lagos Vision . The dogged pursuit of the Lagos State Medical Infrastructure Transformation Blueprint will surely provide that unique opportunity to advance the cause of Lagos State and improve the overall well-being of Lagosians.
The problem, as identified, was basically that many hospitals and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) were primarily ordinary buildings converted to medical use, an inappropriate situation medically. The solution, going forward, is to come up with a medical blueprint that will see to the erection of purpose-built facilities, designed for medical use as well as the training and retraining of professionals in the health sector.
Characteristics of the Prototypical Health Care Facilities, when completed, will reflect among other things:
*Natural light/Ventilation
*Aesthetics (Look and Feel, Cultural)
*Sustainable Energy
*Patient Flow
*Future Expansion
*Rapid Emergency Repurposing
*Infection Prevention
*Maintenance- Friendly
According to the state’s helmsman, ‘’ People understand that we are in a position to serve. We want to make tomorrow better than yesterday. We will continue to implement audacious reforms in the health sector because the continued well-being of Lagosians is non-negotiable. We will continue to seek new opportunities to respond to the infrastructure needs of Lagosians, ‘’ he stated.
Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, while briefing the Lagos State Council on Health Meeting recently, stressed that an in-depth review of the health infrastructure showed that health facilities have defects inflow and function to health needs of patients and providers thus militating against the delivery of efficient service delivery.
Prof. Akin Abayomi stressed that the priority attached to good health for Lagosians spurred the Sanwo-Olu administration to embark on the transformation of existing health facilities and provision of new infrastructure with emphasis on low energy consumption, easy maintenance, Infection Prevention Control, as well as staff and patient comfort.
“From our reviews, we noticed that constructed health facilities are in need of rehabilitation works within a few months of commissioning. Similarly, few renovation projects make an impact on the quality of the facility while new structures have defects inflow and function to health needs of patients and providers”.
Abayomi said the blueprint will serve as prototype documents to chart the course of healthcare infrastructure in Lagos State for the foreseeable future. He added that the blueprint for healthcare infrastructure will cut across primary, secondary and specialist facilities.
“So to correct the poor patient flow whilst also conforming with infection prevention control requirements in our facilities, the Ministry of Health engaged a consultant to develop blueprints for primary, secondary and specialist facilities and to supervise the rehabilitation and construction of selected facilities”, he added.
While noting that the prototypes will conform to global standards of healthcare facilities, Abayomi stressed that the design will be replicated in phases across the State to ensure the delivery of qualitative health services.
The Health Commissioner, who also featured in a short video which harped on the medical infrastructure transformation blueprint, a few days ago, said due attention is being paid to salient areas of the projects at hand.
‘’We are looking at the environment in which doctors work, facilities they work with, design of the buildings, doctors’ quarters, offices, clean water, electricity, the nurture and nature of the environment’’, he explained .
Prof. Abayomi specifically identified the Brown and Green field projects being executed under the blueprint . Current brown field projects (undergoing renovation, refurbishment of buildings) according to him, include:
*Harvey Road Health Centre
* Isolo General Hospital
*General Hospital, Lagos
*Ebute Metta General Hospital
*Ajeromi General Hospital
*Onikan Health Centre
*Ifako Ijaiye General Hospital
*MCC Amuwo Odofin
*Ibeju Lekki General Hospital
*Mushin General Hospital
*Badagry General Hospital Staff Quarters
The second part has to do with the Green Field (Brand new) Projects include:
* The 150-bed New Massey Street Children’s Hospital which (when completed) will provide secondary integrated care services and acute care to both in-patients and out-patients in line with international best practices and also, help to engender a significant reduction in infant and maternal mortality. It is seen as the biggest of its type in Sub-Sahara Africa.
*Trado Medical Board (a special project)
*General Hospital Ojo
*Ketu-Ejinrin Psychiatric Hospital
*Oncology Centre, Gbagada
*Medical Staff Quarters, Gbagada General Hospital
*10 Ambulance Bays
Prof. Abayomi disclosed further that Lagos State is also working towards greater welfare packages for doctors, noting that all health facilities to be built henceforth will have doctors’ quarters included in its master plan.