Sanwo-Olu plans emergency, trauma fund for free treatment of accident patients

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has pledged to establish an emergency and trauma fund to treat emergency patients free of charge to prevent avoidable deaths.

Speaking on Thursday at the Lagos Trauma Conference 2024, themed: “Advancing Trauma and Emergency Response – Enhancing Trauma and Emergency Systems for a Thriving Lagos, Sanwo-Olu underscored the importance of having such fund as earlier requested by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Olusegun Ogboye.

Delivering his keynote address, Sanwo-Olu also talked about the importance of using technology as an enabler for an efficiency and responsive healthcare system.

He stated that the use of technology – including telemedicine, electronic health records, and mobile health solutions – to improve communication, data sharing, and care coordination between public and private providers.

He added that Lagos has to thrive and work for all as the government must be able to effectively respond to and manage all the emergencies in the state as well as treat all victims.

Also at the event, Lagos State signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the transfer of the Epe General Hospital to the Federal Government to further enhance accessibility to affordable healthcare services for residents.

Sanwo-Olu signed the MOU for the state government while the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Tunji Alausa, signed on behalf of the Federal Government.

In his speech, the minister said with the signing of the MOU, Epe General Hospital now becomes Federal Medical Centre, Epe.

He added that it was aimed at making Lagos state a model for others, achieving universal health coverage for residents which would further provide enhanced specialised services, disclosing that the Federal Government hopes to make other facilities available in the next two years.

Also speaking on the MOU, Sanwo-Olu said it was aimed at reshaping the future of Health service delivery for a thriving Lagos to be able to manage trauma care patients and emergencies while restating the commitment to deepen strategies in the sector and deliverables in collaboration with stakeholders.

The wife of the governor, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, said the programme was aimed at ensuring a healthier and safer Lagos as the importance of Trauma care centers could not be overemphasized hence the need for adequate preparedness by applying a local sense to problems.

The governor’s wife said the theme of the conference is timely and as a medical personnel she has first hand experience with trauma cases.

“There is need for strong trauma care system because any one can be involved. The need for a robust trauma care system cannot be over-emphasized. We must ensure that a lot of people in the community have basic knowledge about emergency incidents.”

The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Olusegun Ogboye, who spoke on various points covered by the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) including the response cycle, Service utilisation, Water Emergency Response, said there was a need for every area in the state to have a trauma emergency centre and the technology to develop it.