Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) on Monday declared
that Lagos would become the leading referral centre for kidney, heart
transplant and all kidney related diseases early next year.
Governor Fashola who spoke when he received participants in the Kidney
Rejoice Health Walk at the open fields of Lagos House, Alausa Ikeja
said this would be possible from the end of the first quarter of next
year when work is completed on the Specialist Hospital being
constructed in Gbagada, adding that the staff and consultants that
would manage the facility are being recruited.
The Governor explained that there is a lot of work going on there at
the moment adding that the future lies there for all medical students,
and doctors and nurses in the State.
"We know that you have the capacity. We also want to bring back as
many of our expert doctors, nurses who have left the country as a
result of frustration.
"We are spending a considerable amount of money sponsoring people
abroad to United States, United Kingdom and India for kidney
transplant and replacement.
"We have also noticed that they are going to environments where their
families are not immediately around them. They are also taking food
after surgery that is not what they may have wanted to eat which
contributes substantially to the healing process.
"We also see that it is our economy that is losing and that is why our
government has decided that it will locate the kidney and heart
transplant facility in Lagos and that is exactly what is going on now
at Gbagada", the Governor said.
Governor Fashola reiterated that it is the belief of the
administration that such a first class facility is the best asset that
it can give to its nurses and doctors because they have the skills but
only need an opportunity to practice the skills.
While commending Nollywood artistes who also participated in the
Health Walk, for spreading positive messages in millions of homes
through their films, Governor Fashola urged them to see it as an
opportunity to work with the Ministry of Health to see the content of
the kidney, hypertension and diabetes screening programme which the
Government has committed to in the last three years.
He said the programme has screened thousands of patients across the
State giving treatment where necessary but using advocacy as the most
powerful tool that can help prevent the two main diseases or make it
manageable when contracted.
"There is no reason why a diabetes patient should not live a useful,
active and normal life if the right management therapy is put in
place. Some of the things that we consider as being status
significance are in fact things that hurt us, Governor Fashola said.
He called on the Nollywood artistes to consider producing what he
called a docu-drama that would help in strengthening the advocacy on
the need to exercise regularly, moderation in the kind of food people
eat, saying such a production in English, Yoruba, Hausa and Pidgin
would go a long way in sensitizing the people.
He promised that the state would provide some assistance to support
the production of the docu-drama, adding that this represents one of
the ways they can help to spread the message about why people should
change some of the life choices they make.
The Governor also advised against the use of bleaching creams saying
the black skin has been particularly adapted to suit where Africans
are located., "We should not try to be anybody else", he advised.
Governor Fashola said in recognition of these health problems which
are fast becoming a global problem, his administration is building
parks and sports centres to allow the people live an active life.
He also cautioned against the conversion of pedestrian walkways into
markets, stressing that Lagos is definitive about building new roads
that have walkways as it would engender the culture of people taking a
walk in their neighbourhoods.
A Platinum Humanity Award was presented to Governor Fashola by the
coordinator of the Kidney Rejoice programme through the President of
the Campaign for Democracy, Dr (Mrs.)Joe Okei Odumakin.
Speaking on the award Dr Okei- Odumakin said Governor Fashola was the
first Governor in Nigeria that she would be presenting an award to.
She described Governor Fashola as action Governor as this is evident
from what anyone who takes a trip round Lagos would observe as "action
speaks louder than words".
Awards were also presented to MTN, Indomie Noodle, Dr Joe Okei
Odumakin and Dr Adeyinka Adeshope
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