By Becky John
The Lagos State Government on Tuesday said that increased budgetary allocation to the health sector was necessary to enhance the efficiency of the health workers and improve the quality of healthcare delivery. Dr Jide Idris, the State Commissioner for Health spoke at a ministerial media briefing in Ikeja. Idris said that the State had continued to invest in the delivery of high quality human and environmentally friendly infrastructure in the health sector, relevant to the Millennium Development Goals. He said that the infrastructure development involved the revamping of healthcare structures through rehabilitation, equipping and upgrading of existing health facilities and the construction of new ones.
“We have been able to achieve massive development in the health system due to the increase in budgetary allocation from 5.06 per cent in 2007 to 9.1 per cent in 2015,’’ the commissioner said.
He said that projects embarked on and completed in the last one year include the Cardiac and Renal Centre at Gbagada General Hospital and construction of mortuary at Badagry General Hospital.
Idris also cited the renovation, extension and equipping of mortuary at General Hospital Epe and Ikorodu, and renovation and upgrading of Epe Comprehensive Primary Health Flagship Centre.
According to him, the renovation of Old Ayinke House is at 75 per cent completion stage and construction of a new Critical Care Unit at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) is at 85 per cent completion stage.
“Other infrastructural development currently going on include construction of Maternal and Child Health Complex at Eti-Osa, Epe and Badagry; construction of School of Nursing Hostel, Igando amongst others, “ he said.
Idris said that the development had contributed to increased access to quality healthcare and patronage by the masses.
“There has been 15 per cent increase in the total outpatients’ attendance, a 27 per cent increase in antenatal care attendance in secondary health facilities as well as 25 per cent increase in primary healthcare facilities.
“We recorded 109 per cent increase in the total number of deliveries in our secondary health facilities, 34 per cent at the primary healthcare centres over the last eight years, “he said.
Idris urged the incoming administration to continue to ensure quality investment to the health sector by ensuring qualitative, affordable and equitable healthcare service to the citizens.
