LAGOS GETS EIGHT NEW MICU MULTI MILLION AMBULANCES, ONE MOBILE CLINIC TRUCK FROM DONOR PARTNERS

13/02/22

DANIELS G.O

PRESS RELEASE

LAGOS GETS EIGHT NEW MICU AMBULANCES, ONE MOBILE CLINIC TRUCK FROM DONOR PARTNERS

…….Restates commitment to the provision of Swift Ambulance Service & Access to Primary Health Care Service

Lagos State Government has received the donation of eight new customized state-of-the-art Mobile Intensive Care Unit (MICU) Ambulances and a well-equipped Mobile Clinic Truck from two donor partners; Global Fund; an international financing and partnership organization and Mobile Telephone Network (MTN) Nigeria respectively, for the improvement of emergency medical services and provision primary healthcare outreach services in Lagos communities.

The multi-million naira MICU ambulances donated by Global Fund, are equipped with essential medical and built-in emergency equipment and gadget including; main ambulance stretcher with washable mattresses, stainless steel stretcher support, trauma kit, urinal plastic wedge, silicone resuscitator, immobilizers, ECG, Sp02, NIBP, respiration, pulse oximeter and IV hooks which are necessary to provide first aid on-the-spot treatment, stabilizing and supporting patient in transit and safe transportation of patients for further medical management.

The Mobile Clinic truck donated by MTN Nigeria is intended for medical outreaches and primary health care service provision in 14 local government areas in Lagos State as part of MTN’s Yello Doctor Project which is aimed at strengthening primary health care services to underserved communities across Nigeria.

Speaking while receiving the donation of the Ambulances and Mobile Clinic Truck in his office at the weekend, Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi noted that the State government has continued to enjoy support from its development partners, donor agencies, philanthropic organisations and well-meaning individuals who at various times donated items, resources and offered expertise in the State government’s drive to provide efficient, accessible and equitable health services to the citizenry.

He commended Global Fund and MTN Nigeria for donations adding that the noble gestures of the two organisations will further help strengthen the State healthcare delivery system and improve emergency and public health response in Lagos State.

He said: “I would like to commend the donors for recognizing the urgent need to support government and for collaborating with us to strengthen the health care delivery system. Indeed, this is a noble gesture that deserves commendation. We have received medical facilities that are going to help us strengthen our emergency medical response and primary health care platform, which operates like a health post”.

Abayomi explained the eight ambulances which will be added to the fleet of ambulances in the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) will go a long way in expanding the coverage area of LASAMBUS, adding also that the health truck will bring primary health care services closer to the door steps of citizens and help bridge the access gap in health care services.

“We have been embarking on strengthening our medical emergency unit called the Lagos State Ambulance Service. LASAMBUS was extremely busy during COVID; picking up people who are in respiratory distress and bringing them to our care centres where we could resuscitate them with oxygen and keep them alive.

“Our fatalities in Lagos were extremely low compared to the rest of the world. Not that we didn’t have breathless people, we did, but we were able to rescue a lot of them. Thanks to these kinds of donations that we’ve received from our partners, friends and philanthropic agencies, we were able not allow COVID to overwhelm us, in other words, never at any point did we have more sick people than our system could manage.

“All in all, I think the donation of the ambulances to the State ambulance service is in tandem with a detailed road map for revamping LASAMBUS and ramping up our emergency response”, the Commissioner said.

He added that the ultimate goal is to transform LASAMBUS and take it to a global benchmark standard, with more staff, more equipment, more ambulance bases and points with reduced emergency response time as it is the practice in advance climes.

“So that if you are out there and you have an accident or you require an emergency service in any way, we can deploy an ambulance to you in your time of need very quickly and take you to a health facility where you can be resuscitated and receive further management or referred appropriately”, Abayomi noted.

He explained that the well equipped mobile clinic truck will offer basic primary health care services like immunization and treating of common ailments like malaria. He explained further that the health truck consists of a generator, a doctor and a nurse and can also transform into a small primary health care post.

While noting that appropriate implementation framework will be put in place for the deployment and supervision of mobile clinic truck for medical outreaches, Abayomi said the Lagos State Government is committed to ensuring the delivery of qualitative health care service delivery to the nooks and crannies of the state

Speaking in the same vein, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye maintained that LASAMBUS remains committed to the provision of swift and professional emergency services stressing that residents can be assured of getting fast and prompt emergency services when the need arises.

Ogboye further explained that the plan to build ambulance bases across all Local Government Areas of the State is in top gear. He noted that the goal is to ensure that people who need ambulance and emergency services can get it within the shortest possible time.

Earlier in his remarks, the Head Global Fund Grant Management Unit in Lagos, Biodun Omolaja disclosed that Lagos is the only State in Nigeria that has been a direct beneficiary of the Global fund grant.

He said: “Usually when global fund engages countries, it did at the national level, but Lagos is the only State in Nigeria that has gotten direct funding from global fund since 2017 and that is simply because of the structure that government has in place in respect to the health sector response as well as the state approach to ownership and sustainability of various health interventions.

“Between 2017 till date, global fund has committed 40 million dollars to support various health interventions particularly HIV and TB, and of course with the COVID19 outbreak, there was commitment of about five million dollars by global fund to support the incident action plan of the COVID19 response”

Omolaja explained the provision of eight MICU ambulances is to strengthen the State government’s emergency medical service as part of implementation of activities in the State’s COVID19 Incident Action Plan that is being supported by Global Fund.

“The donation of the ambulances is in addition to real time PCR machines and reagents for PCR test provided by Global fund. Global fund will continue to support Lagos in the response against COVID and other various interventions that will improve the quality of life amongst the people of Lagos particularly with TB and COVID response”, he said.

In his own remarks, Director, MTN Foundation, Mr. Dennis Okoro explained that the mobile clinic truck donated by MTN Nigeria through the MTN Foundation will be used to conduct medical outreaches and primary healthcare services in 14 Local Government Areas across Lagos State as a component of the MTN Yello Doctor Project Phase 3.

He disclosed that the 14 LGAs where the outreaches will take place are: Alimosho Apapa, Amuwo- Odofin, Badagry, Eti-Osa, Ifako-Ijaiye, kosofe, Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Ibeju-lekki, Epe, Ikeja, Lagos Mainland Ojo and Shomolu.

“The MTN Yello Doctor Project was launched in 2014 and had implemented Phases one and two in Abia, Delta, Katsina, Niger, Ogun and Taraba States respectively. The project is aimed at strengthening the Nigerian Primary Healthcare system through the provision of free primary healthcare services to underserved communities across Nigeria via mobile medical clinics”, Okoro said.

In attendance at the event are, the Permanent Secretary, Primary HealthCare Board, Dr. Ibrahim Mustafa; Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation, Mrs. Odunayo Sanya; Director Health Care Planning Research and Statistics, Dr. Dayo Lajide; Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Health, Dr. Ore Finnih; and Head Lagos State Ministry of Health Grant Management Office, Chinyere Gift-Okorie.

Signed

Tunbosun Ogunbanwo

Director, Public Affairs

13th February, 2022

COUPLE ARRESTED IN OGUN STATE WITH FRESH HUMAN PARTS IN THEIR POSSESSION

12/02/22

Daniels G. O

PRESS RELEASE

Couple arrested, in possession of fresh human parts.

The police command in Ogun has arrested a couple, Kehinde Oladimeji and wife Adejumoke Raji for being in possession of fresh different human parts.

DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, the State Police Public Relations Officer, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abeokuta on Saturday.

According to Oyeyemi, the couple who are residents of 72, MKO Abiola way , Leme , Abeokuta were arrested following a report lodged at Kemta Divisional Headquarters by one chief Moshood Ogunwolu, the Baale of Leme Community .

Oyeyemi noted that the Baale , who reported that one Pastor Adisa Olarewaju who is a co tenant with the suspects informed him of offensive odours coming out from the room of the suspects.

Meanwhile, the commissioner of police, CP Lanre Bankole , has ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects to Homicide Section of the state criminal investigation and Intelligence Department for discreet investigation.

TRAGIC,HOW OAU STUDENT DIED AFTER FALLING INSIDE HOSTEL SOAK AWAY

10/02/22

DANIELS G.O

PRESS RELEASE

A Female 200-level student of Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile Ife has died after falling into a soak away.

identified as Ajibola Heritage Ayomikun, was studying Linguistics and African Languages in the university..

In a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the university, Abiodun Olarewaju, Ayomikun fell into a soak away in BVER, one of the private hostels in its student village.

Olanrewaju described the death of the promising student of the institution as unfortunate, adding that school had deployed rescue men to the scene when it learned of the incident.

The institution said that Ayomikun was, however, certified dead on arrival at the OAU teaching hospital.

He added that the vice chancellor Prof Eyitope Ogunbodede, sympathised with the students and commiserated with the Parents of the deceased.

The Vice Chancellor, who described the incidence as unacceptable, promised to critically look into the circumstances that led to the student’s death and liase with the security agents to ensure appropriate sanctions against those involved or whoever is found culpable.

Ogunbodede appealed to the students to remain calm and law-abiding as the police are also investigating

Lagos State Govt Trains 306 Secondary School Teachers on Eye Screening

08/02/22

DANIELS G O

PRESS RELEASE

LAGOS MOVES TO REDUCE BLINDING EYE CONDITION AMOGST SECONDARY SCHOOL PUPILS

· Launches Secondary School Eye Program

· Trains 306 Secondary School Teachers on Eye Screening

· Installed 175 Vision Corridors

In continuation of the effort to reduce visual impairment and blinding eye conditions amongst students, particularly pupils of Secondary schools in Lagos, the State Government today launched the Secondary School Eye Health Programme; the first of its kind in Nigeria.

Speaking at the launch of the program at Oregun Junior High School, Ikeja, the State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi noted that the Secondary school eye health program is one of the strategies of the State Government through its Blindness Prevention Program to reduce the burden of childhood blindness in Lagos State.

He explained that the Secondary School Eye Health Program has four main components including; training of teachers on vision screening in all the state secondary schools starting with the junior secondary schools; installation of vision screening board in all the state secondary schools; equipping of all secondary schools with vision screening kits and management and referrals of students with eye conditions by the Blindness Preventive Team.

He said: “Vision impairment affects people of all ages and children are not left out. The leading causes of vision impairment and blindness are uncorrected refractive errors and cataracts. Visual impairment from uncorrected refractive error has immediate and long-term consequences. It can hamper performance, reduce productivity and generally impair quality of life.

“If not corrected or if the correction is inadequate, refractive error becomes a major cause of low vision and even blindness. Yet, the correction with appropriate spectacles is one of the most cost-effective interventions in eye health care.

“I would therefore like to use this medium to appeal to the students to make good use of this opportunity, get their eyes tested and report to the trained teachers and principals if any change in vision is observed”.

Abayomi enjoined teachers to also use the opportunity offered by the secondary eye health program to examine their eyes stressing that the program is for students, teachers and school staff alike.

“We are introducing this program because eye sight and hearing are one of the most important senses that we can have. Without the good eye sight and good hearing there is no way you can understand what is going on in your school, and therefore it is important that we give every child a chance because if a child cannot see or hear, we are robbing the community of the benefits of that child. We are here to change the lives of students with eye defects so that they can harness their potentials and become the best at what they do”, he said.

The Commissioner who noted that that WAEC performance of schools in Lagos has increased from 39 percent to 80 percent, attributed the excellent performance to the hard work and dedication of teachers adding the feat is a testimonial of the successes of various education policies being implemented in the State. “I can also assure you that this secondary school eye health program will further enhance the performance of our students”, Abayomi concluded.

Speaking in the same vein, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye explained that the School Eye Health Program was launched in the year 2006, and held in primary schools on IBILE basis to carry out eye screening for the pupils.

He added that the scope of the program was expanded in 2012 to include training of teachers and installation of vision screening board in all the state primary schools.

“Till date, the Primary School Eye health program has reached out to 235,515 pupils and 2,178 of these pupils have been given glasses. A total of 2002 teachers have been trained on eye screening, 1001 Schools have been equipped with vision screening kits and 859 vision corridors have been installed across Primary Schools in Lagos”, Ogboye said.

The Permanent Secretary noted that it was in furtherance of the bid to address the burden of visual impairment and ensure better blindness prevention program coverage, that secondary school eye health program was launched.
“The Secondary School Eye Health Program started with the training of teachers in the Junior Secondary schools; these training commenced last week and will be ending on the 11th February 2022. So far, 306 teachers have been trained and 175 vision corridors have been installed. It is our expectation that after the training all the teachers will be able to carry out the vision screening assessment”, he stated.

He noted that beyond the School Eye health program, the Lagos State School Health program also addresses health issues that could militate against better learning experience including componets such as the Ear Nose and Throat (ENT), Dental Care, Personal and Environmental Hygiene and Mental Health Care.

“So, we are bringing a complete school health program to our schools. Although we cannot go round the schools at once we are moving in bits we will continue to increase the number of schools and hopefully all schools will benefit from this school health programs”, he said.

Earlier in his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mr. Abayomi Abolaji laud the collaboration between the Lagos State Ministries of Health and Education which resulted in the birthing of the expanded School Eye Health Program – the Secondary School Eye Health Program.

He added that the program will help alleviate the sufferings of students with visual impairments and ultimately improve the academic performance of secondary school pupils in the State. “While we appreciate this initiative, we look up to more collaboration and assistance in this direction which is geared towards making our policies in the education sector successful”, Abolaji noted.

The high point of the event was the presentation of eye glasses to students, vision screening kits to trained secondary schools teachers and unveiling of the vison corridor at the Oregun Junior High school

Signed

Tunbosun Ogunbanwo
Director, Public Affairs
8th February, 2022

Lagos State Govt Trains 306 Secondary School Teachers on Eye Screening

08/02/22

DANIELS G O

PRESS RELEASE

LAGOS MOVES TO REDUCE BLINDING EYE CONDITION AMOGST SECONDARY SCHOOL PUPILS

· Launches Secondary School Eye Program

· Trains 306 Secondary School Teachers on Eye Screening

· Installed 175 Vision Corridors

In continuation of the effort to reduce visual impairment and blinding eye conditions amongst students, particularly pupils of Secondary schools in Lagos, the State Government today launched the Secondary School Eye Health Programme; the first of its kind in Nigeria.

Speaking at the launch of the program at Oregun Junior High School, Ikeja, the State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi noted that the Secondary school eye health program is one of the strategies of the State Government through its Blindness Prevention Program to reduce the burden of childhood blindness in Lagos State.

He explained that the Secondary School Eye Health Program has four main components including; training of teachers on vision screening in all the state secondary schools starting with the junior secondary schools; installation of vision screening board in all the state secondary schools; equipping of all secondary schools with vision screening kits and management and referrals of students with eye conditions by the Blindness Preventive Team.

He said: “Vision impairment affects people of all ages and children are not left out. The leading causes of vision impairment and blindness are uncorrected refractive errors and cataracts. Visual impairment from uncorrected refractive error has immediate and long-term consequences. It can hamper performance, reduce productivity and generally impair quality of life.

“If not corrected or if the correction is inadequate, refractive error becomes a major cause of low vision and even blindness. Yet, the correction with appropriate spectacles is one of the most cost-effective interventions in eye health care.

“I would therefore like to use this medium to appeal to the students to make good use of this opportunity, get their eyes tested and report to the trained teachers and principals if any change in vision is observed”.

Abayomi enjoined teachers to also use the opportunity offered by the secondary eye health program to examine their eyes stressing that the program is for students, teachers and school staff alike.

“We are introducing this program because eye sight and hearing are one of the most important senses that we can have. Without the good eye sight and good hearing there is no way you can understand what is going on in your school, and therefore it is important that we give every child a chance because if a child cannot see or hear, we are robbing the community of the benefits of that child. We are here to change the lives of students with eye defects so that they can harness their potentials and become the best at what they do”, he said.

The Commissioner who noted that that WAEC performance of schools in Lagos has increased from 39 percent to 80 percent, attributed the excellent performance to the hard work and dedication of teachers adding the feat is a testimonial of the successes of various education policies being implemented in the State. “I can also assure you that this secondary school eye health program will further enhance the performance of our students”, Abayomi concluded.

Speaking in the same vein, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye explained that the School Eye Health Program was launched in the year 2006, and held in primary schools on IBILE basis to carry out eye screening for the pupils.

He added that the scope of the program was expanded in 2012 to include training of teachers and installation of vision screening board in all the state primary schools.

“Till date, the Primary School Eye health program has reached out to 235,515 pupils and 2,178 of these pupils have been given glasses. A total of 2002 teachers have been trained on eye screening, 1001 Schools have been equipped with vision screening kits and 859 vision corridors have been installed across Primary Schools in Lagos”, Ogboye said.

The Permanent Secretary noted that it was in furtherance of the bid to address the burden of visual impairment and ensure better blindness prevention program coverage, that secondary school eye health program was launched.
“The Secondary School Eye Health Program started with the training of teachers in the Junior Secondary schools; these training commenced last week and will be ending on the 11th February 2022. So far, 306 teachers have been trained and 175 vision corridors have been installed. It is our expectation that after the training all the teachers will be able to carry out the vision screening assessment”, he stated.

He noted that beyond the School Eye health program, the Lagos State School Health program also addresses health issues that could militate against better learning experience including componets such as the Ear Nose and Throat (ENT), Dental Care, Personal and Environmental Hygiene and Mental Health Care.

“So, we are bringing a complete school health program to our schools. Although we cannot go round the schools at once we are moving in bits we will continue to increase the number of schools and hopefully all schools will benefit from this school health programs”, he said.

Earlier in his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mr. Abayomi Abolaji laud the collaboration between the Lagos State Ministries of Health and Education which resulted in the birthing of the expanded School Eye Health Program – the Secondary School Eye Health Program.

He added that the program will help alleviate the sufferings of students with visual impairments and ultimately improve the academic performance of secondary school pupils in the State. “While we appreciate this initiative, we look up to more collaboration and assistance in this direction which is geared towards making our policies in the education sector successful”, Abolaji noted.

The high point of the event was the presentation of eye glasses to students, vision screening kits to trained secondary schools teachers and unveiling of the vison corridor at the Oregun Junior High school

Signed

Tunbosun Ogunbanwo
Director, Public Affairs
8th February, 2022

LAGOS TO SCREEN 100,000 WOMEN FOR BREAST AND CERVICAL CANCER ANNUALLY … Commemorates Year 2022

05/02/22

DANIELS G.O

PRESS RELEASE

WORLD CANCER DAY

LAGOS TO SCREEN 100,000 WOMEN FOR BREAST AND CERVICAL CANCER ANNUALLY
… Commemorates Year 2022 World Cancer Day with Community Outreach Campaign

As the World Commemorate Year 2022 World Cancer Day today, the Lagos State Government has made known it plans to screen 100,000 women for breast and cervical cancer annually free of charge.


The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye disclosed this today at Ikosi-Isheri Local Council Development Area Secretariat, venue of a community outreach campaign program held to commemorate the World Cancer Day in Lagos.

Ogboye stated that free screenings for breast and cervical cancer have since commenced in 62 State health facilities including designated General Hospitals offering gynecology and obstetrics care services and flagship primary health care centres across the State.

He noted that this year’s World Cancer Day with the theme: “Close The Care Gap”, has provided yet another opportunity to improve awareness on cancer and to encourage its prevention through early screening and detection, diagnosis and prompt treatment of the various types of cancers.

He said: “Cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Globally, nearly one in six deaths is due to cancer and 70 percent of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries such as Nigeria”.

Ogboye while reiterating the need for periodic screening and lifestyle modification as preventive measures against the non-communicable disease stated that the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that as many as 40 percent of deaths from cancer are preventable.

He noted that raising awareness for cancer prevention, screening and early management has become a very important goal for all stakeholders and citizens.


“Cancer is no respecter of persons, age, sex, religion, residence or wealth. Therefore, it is very essential that we continue to inform ourselves about cancers and the fact that every single person has the ability to make a difference, be it large or small and also that together we can make real progress in reducing the global impact of cancer, create a cancer-free world and prevent millions of deaths each year.

“This year’s World Cancer Day commemoration event has provided the opportunity to conduct advocacy to the people of Ikosi-Isheri as well as the entire citizenry and increase awareness on the importance of early screening, prompt diagnosis and treatment of cancers”, he said.

Ogboye noted that no fewer than 200 women of child bearing age were screened for breast and cervical cancer during the outreach program at Ikosi-Isheri adding the State Government will provide free treatment for cervical precancerous lesions for women who require it.

“I want to encourage us all to adopt a healthy and safe lifestyle. Let us ensure we go for regular screening as and when due and we seek medical help early as prevention is always better, cheaper, preferable and less stressful than curative measures”, he concluded.

Earlier in his remarks, the Director Disease Control, Lagos State Ministry Health, Dr. Rotimi Agbolagorite noted that Lagos State Government commenced the State Cancer Control Program in the year 2005 in recognition of the increasing trend of the global epidemic of cancers.

He explained that the Lagos State Cervical Control entails awareness creation, sensitization, health education and promotion, and free screening for breast, cervical and prostate cancer for citizens.

Agbolagorite stated that the State Government with the support of a non governmental organization, Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) has built the capacity of over 300 healthcare workers across the State’s primary and secondary health facilities, and LASUTH to provide secondary prevention services for cervical cancer to Lagosians across all the LGAs in the State.

“In addition, the organization has provided requisite equipment, materials and consumables to be utilized for these screenings”, he added.

Speaking in the same vein, the Cervical Control Program Coordinator for CHAI, Dr. Maltida Kerry stated that CHAI through UNITAID grant is supporting the Lagos State Ministry of Health to screen approximately 200,000 women for cervical cancer and provide precancerous treatment for those in need in Lagos over a two year period.

“Since the launch of the cervical cancer program in 2019, CHAI through the support of the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Health Service Commission and the State Primary Health Care Board has been able to create cervical cancer service demand generation and increase access to cervical cancer services”, she noted.

Signed

Tunbosun Ogunbanwo

Director, Public Affairs

4th February, 2022

02/02/22

DANIELS G.O

A NEW DAWN AT PSN

The New President Of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria Professor Cyril Usifoh has called for the cooperation of the media in his mission to improve health care delivery to Nigerians,especially with regards to pharmaceutical best Practices.

Professor Usifoh who was speaking at Briefing with Newsmen on his formal inauguration and fellowship investiture of the PSN holding on the 10th Of February 2022 at Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja,said in the next couple of months the underlisted issues will be in the front Burner under the presidency of PSN.

* To improve Relationship with the government ( both the Executive And Legislative) So as to ensure the right of every Nigerian to pharmaceutical care.

* Institutionalizing the PharmD Programme

*Establishment of the National Post-Graduate College Of Pharmacists to complement the Consultancy cadre agenda,while also working with NAFDAC,PCN And relevant stakeholders.

*Improve visibility of Pharmacists And Pursuit of the Pharmacy Tower Project And all other Business Concerns Of PSN.

Proffessor Usifoh who noted that his Pact With His Colleagues was encapsulated in the five point agenda said through team work,he will ensure a Purpose driven Leadership for all the technical And interest groups of PSN.