Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, yesterday, announced that his government would subsidise the cost of pharmaceutical products towards improving the well-being of the citizens, especially those in rural communities.
 
Speaking at the Police College, the venue of the 2023 Community Day Celebration, organised by the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, with the theme: ‘Community Engagement: A Veritable Tool for Infrastructure Development on Rural Communities’, the governor said his administration is aware of the growing cost of pharmaceutical drugs in the country and will provide subvention to citizens on medical products as it was done in the transportation sector.
  
He said: “Today, we are here to appreciate you and thank you for your efforts aimed at developing the grassroots. As you know, we have slashed the transport fare. We have provided palliatives on foodstuff. We are going to do more. The cost of drugs is also rising. As a responsive and responsible government, we will also provide palliatives on medicines”, Sanwo-Olu promised.
 
While reminding those present of his promise to them earlier in the year, the governor said his administration has created a Department of Rural Development. The office, he said, is dedicated to taking complaints from and addressing the needs of the people, particularly in the state’s suburbs. He added that the event is to appreciate the people of Lagos for their various self-help projects, which he says complement government efforts.
 
The Chairman of Community Development Advisory Council (CDAC), Azeez Amusat, who thanked the governor for his support and commitment to the welfare of citizens in the state, appreciated him for the confidence reposed in the council, particularly the distribution of palliatives to residents across the state.
  
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dr Nurudeen Agbaje, said the theme of the event resonates with state’s developmental agenda, while also appreciating LCDAs in the state for their support through self-help projects, which, he said, had complemented government efforts at delivering dividends of democracy to the state.
 
The event climaxed with the presentation of cash gifts to CDAs and grand prizes of four brand new buses to three outstanding CDAs and the best rural area of the year.
 
Eighteen-seater buses were presented to the first, second and third CDAs, which are Greenland Estate CDA in Eti Osa East LCDA; Royal Estate CDA in Egbe Idimu LCDA and Elepe Royal Estate in Ikorodu Council Area, while the best rural community award went to Araromi CDA in Ibeji Lekki LCDA.

MEANWHILE, the Medical Director, National Orthopedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos, Dr Mustapha Alimi, has called for the implementation of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), especially at the primary healthcare level to stop out-of-pocket payments and offer free medical services. He said it would help to achieve universal healthcare coverage in the country.
 

He made the call in Lagos, yesterday, at the 78th anniversary celebration of the hospital. He added that the hospital is committed to training manpower for the health sector.
  
He noted that the major challenge the hospital has is lack of manpower and there is need to address the challenge in order to reduce medical tourism in Nigeria.
   
“We have trained many healthcare workers, nurses, doctors, technicians, among others. Therefore, we are concerned about the development of human capital,” he said.
   
Former Medical Director of the hospital Dr Wahab Inosa, said the hospital contributed immensely to the development of healthcare services in Nigeria under his leadership.