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.