The federal government said three new multi-billion naira health facilities commissioned at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) are set to deliver essential services and improve the wellbeing of not only Nigerians but those in sub-saharan Africa.
The facilities commissioned weekend includes a newly constructed 60-beds wards four floors Alima Atta Oncology wards built and equipped for LUTH at a cost of N1.5 billion by a philanthropist and retired company, Mrs Iyabo Atta in memory of her daughter, Alima who died of cancer, a 40-bed capacity ultra-modern neonatal intensive care unit and labour ward complex as well as a 30-bed intensive care unit, the latter two were funded by the federal government with close to N2 billion.
Speaking at the commissioning, Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire commended the LUTH management for achieving such feats, saying the institution has established facilities that are at the forefront of health service delivery that are not comparable to other similar facilities in Africa.
He described as commendable the giant strides LUTH has made in the area of oncology practices in Nigeria affirming that the institution was one of the centers where full gamut of oncology care including diagnostic, chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy was first established as a one stop centre for cancer care in Nigeria.
Head of Service of the Federation, Dr. Folashade Yemi Esan, said government will ensure the needed medical staff to run the facilities and, assuring that the FG has prioritised the welfare of health care professionals as part of incentives to discourage migration of health workers to other countries.
On his part, Chief Medical Director (CMD) of LUTH, Professor Chris Bode said the three buildings will require additional 60 doctors, 15 of whom should be consultants, the ICU and others will require about 230 nurses to operate them professionally.
The CMD said: “We are experiencing a dearth of skilled manpower in LUTH also. This is because of our nurses and doctors seeking greener pastures. I join my colleagues to appeal that federal government hospitals should be given the mandate to replace exiting skilled staff one-for-one, using a monitored template to prevent abuse.”
