LASUTH To End Medical Tourism – CMD, Fabamwo; Unveils Modern Infrastructure

By Akinwale Kasali

The Chief Medical Director of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, (LASUTH), Prof. Adetokunbo Fabamwo has affirmed that the hospital is now well equipped to accommodate more patients, and reduce medical tourism.

He disclosed this during a Media parley held at  LASUTH Complex when he unveiled modern medical projects the hospital  embarked on.

Fabamwo said LASUTH has witnessed impressive medical infrastructural transformation in recent times, and is  continuing in its efforts at being in the forefront of healthcare delivery in Nigeria.

Showcasing the New Multipurpose Medical Building recently donated by the Senior Special Assistant to President Mohammed Buhari, on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), Adejoke Orelope Adefulire, to the hospital, recently commissioned for use by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the CMD described the building as well equipped with modern medical care facilities which comprise of four medical schools in the areas of Anaesthesia Technology, Echo Cardiograph, Orthopaedic Cast Technology and Post Graduate Nursing.

It also houses the Family Medicine Department, Dietetics Department, Managed Care Unit, Immunization Clinic, private wards, super executive private wards, 20 bed  Intensive Care Unit, a Spa and a Gym, amongst others.

“This facility will significantly raise the status of LASUTH as a leading  centre of excellence in healthcare service delivery”, Fabamwo said.

He spoke extensively on the Special Services Special Services Centre (SSC), which is intended to bridge the gap in the healthcare sector and solve challenges of interventional procedures.  He revealed that the SSC accommodates a Dialysis Unit, a Bronchoscopy Suite, a Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory and an Endoscopy Suite.

The CMD, also, revealed that the Dialysis Unit in the new SSC building caters for a minimum of 22 sessions daily and 660 dialysis sessions monthly, ” this in addition to the existing six dialysis machines in the Critical Care Unit (CCU) of LASUTH.”

“Likewise, our Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory which was established in September 2022 has so far had 120 different procedures done. The spectrum of these procedures range from Coronary Procedures (for heart attack), Permanent Pacemaker, Implantable Cardioverter defibrillators, CRTD, Device Closures for hole in the heart, other vascular procedures”, he said.

Amongst the completed building projects is the Ultra Modern House Officers’ Quarters, and an Ambulance Bay. He also said, the Governor of Lagos State recently did a ground breaking of  Resident Doctor’s Quarters.

Regarding the ongoing infrastructure building, the CMD mentioned that a building is being constructed to house a Female Medical Ward and a Paediatric Sickle Cell Centre to care for children with sickle cell disorder.

Part of the hospital’s management efforts to participate in a Corporate Social Responsibility,  Fabamwo talked about the free medical  outreach the Ophthalmology Department of the hospital held in January to screen the resident of Ojokoro area of Lagos, for Glaucoma and Cataract Diseases. Over 500 people were screened and 48 were scheduled for free cataract surgery, which was done in LASUTH.

In the area of capacity building, he said the institution has been able to engage about hundred training programmes where 800 staff have benefited from such programmes. He added the institution has also trained about 500 Clinical and Non Clinical Staff on Basic Life Support, adding that “every member of staff of LASUTH must be able to give First Aid when the situation arise.

Also Speaking, the Director, Clinical Services and Training, Prof. Adebowale Adekoya said, part of the reasons the hospital is taking giant strides to provide excellent healthcare to the people of Lagos residents and the citizens of Nigeria, is to be a leading healthcare facility in the Sub-Sahara Africa, that other public hospitals can model after.

The Media Parley had in attendance Top Management officials of the hospital, in persons of Director Hospital Administration & Human Resources, Kehinde Gbajumo; Director Finance & Account, Titilope Alaka; Director Nursing Services, Adebola Aina; Director Legal Services, Yejide Kolawole, amongst others.