Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has
explained why he paid unscheduled visits to Island Maternity Hospital and Lagos
Island Hospital, catching the medical personnel unaware.
The governor made this known in a statement on Monday by his
Chief Press Secretary, Mr Gboyega Akosile.
According to Sanwo-Olu, his visit to the hospitals was
predicated on the need to see things for himself and ensure staff compliance
with the health palliative scheme which covers the cost of normal pregnancy
delivery, Caesarean section and antenatal care done in the state-owned
hospitals.
The health scheme is part of the relief measures rolled out by the state government to cushion the hardship being faced by residents as a result of the fuel subsidy removal policy.
He said, “I need to come and see things for myself to know
where our intervention is specifically and generally needed,” the governor
said.
According to the statement, Sanwo-Olu walked into the
hospital unannounced at exactly 6:35 pm.
The statement reads, “At 6:35 pm, the governor walked
quietly into the hospital’s maternity ward where two expectant mothers were
being examined.
“One of them, Odeyemi Omowunmi, is heavily pregnant but she
is not yet due for delivery. The 37-year-old expectant mother was compelled to
take admission weeks ahead of her scheduled delivery.
“Odeyemi’s forced hospitalisation was as a result of her
unstable blood pressure — the condition that led to two previous miscarriages.
In order not to lose the pregnancy, doctors advised Odeyemi be placed under
constant observation until she is due for childbirth.
“The care is free of
charge. The medical expenses are completely covered under the health palliative
scheme declared by Governor Sanwo-Olu across the Lagos State-owned General
Hospitals.
“The health palliative covers the cost of normal pregnancy
delivery, Caesarean section and antenatal care done in the state-owned
hospitals.
In a chat with the governor, Odeyemi said: “My husband and I
live in Abule Egba, where I started antenatal care at a private clinic. I was
seven and half months into my pregnancy when they discovered that my blood
pressure was too high. My husband feared that I might lose the pregnancy again,
having had two successive miscarriages.
“We were referred to the Island Maternity Hospital for
advanced medical examination when doctors told me I must be admitted for
continued observation. My husband did not want me admitted initially because of
the cost. But we were told the care is completely free. We didn’t believe it
until I started getting treatment without anyone asking us to pay a dime.”
Since the free medical services commenced on the first day
of August, hundreds of pregnant women have benefited from the free deliveries
and antenatal care across the Lagos-owned hospitals.
Sanwo-Olu was conducted around the maternity ward by the
Chief Matron in Charge, Akinsola Dorcas.
The governor moved to Lagos Island Hospital, Odan, where he
personally took an audit of facilities in the 10-storey Doctors’ Quarters in
which a house officer recently died from injuries in an elevator accident.
Sanwo-Olu conducted an on-the-spot assessment of apartments,
stores, and power supply systems in the quarters. He was led by a
representative of the House Officers, Dr Segun Ogunlana.
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