Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State says his government will continue to introduce policies to increase private investment in healthcare, to ensure more access to high quality medical services.
Sanwo-Olu made this known while inaugurating Atlantis Paediatric and Multi-Specialist Hospital in Lekki, Lagos, on Wednesday.
He said:” The commissioning of this hospital marks a significant step towards improving the lives of our people, especially the young people
“It also affirms my own government’s commitment and unwavering determination to bridge the gap in the healthcare space by introducing policies aimed at increasing private investment in healthcare.
“This will ensure access to high-quality medical services in Lagos and beyond.
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“On our part as a government, our commitment is resolute and reflected in our efforts to bridge the gap in childcare and raise the standards and quality of our healthcare sector generally,” he said.
The governor commended Dr Atinuke Uwajeh, the Founder/Medical Director of the hospital, for establishing the hospital that provides care for infants and women.
He said the 40-bed hospital, which has state-of-the-art equipment, would also increase the number of childcare hospitals in Lagos.
“I salute the vision of the founder, Dr Uwajeh, whose deep desire to contribute to the development of the medical practice in Nigeria, led her to relocate from the U.S. where she practised Paediatrics for several years.
“Her decision is coupled with her passion for children’s birth in this world-class standard, fully automated paediatric hospital that I am told will cater for the healthcare needs of infants, children and women.
“These 40-bed hospitals boast of six-bed level three Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit, which is the highest level of critical care you can get anywhere in the world.
“A four-bed ICU, three standard operating theatres and an enviable diagnostic laboratory will not only transform our healthcare landscape but also add to the number of childcare facilities,” he said.
Speaking earlier, Uwajeh, the Medical Director of the hospital, said the technology-driven facility was established to deliver excellent and holistic service to children and women in sub-Saharan Africa.
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Uwajeh said the hospital offered services in neonatal medicine, children’s health, maternal care, women’s health, fertility care, and general care among others.
According to her, the establishment of the hospital is also aimed at reducing medical tourism and also to reverse the brain drain (Japa Syndrome) into brain gain (Japada syndrome).
“Almost 13 years ago, I relocated with my family from the U.S., having spent almost 20 years in paediatric practice with a quest to contribute my quota to medical best practices in Nigeria, knowing that we could do better with the wealth of human power and experience we have.
“My desire was to have comparable children’s hospitals as we have in the U.S. such as the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburg, Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania; National Children’s Hospital of Washington DC, to mention a few.
“In Atlantis Paediatric Hospital, the above desire has materialised because we are driven by the vision “to be the foremost paediatric and maternal care hospital in sub-Saharan Africa”.
“We are poised by our mission to deliver excellent and holistic healthcare to children and women in sub-Saharan Africa through innovative technology and best practices,” she said.
She thanked her family, hospital financial partners, vendors and staff for working together to make the hospital a reality.
NAN
