Press Releases

Lagos Exco Approves Cardiac, Renal Centres At Gbagada
… Sends Coroner's Law To Assembly For Amendments

Sep 1, 2008 - The Lagos State Executive Council Monday approved the establishment of Cardiac and Renal Treatment Centres at the Gbagada General Hospital, the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Barrister Opeyemi Bamidele announced.

Bamidele, who made the disclosure when he briefed the Government House Correspondents on the outcome of the inaugural Executive Council Meeting at the New State House Ikeja, also announced the approval by the Council of the building of a three-storey Trauma and Burns Centre at the same Hospital.

The Commissioner also affirmed the State Executive Council’s decision to return the Coroner’s Law to the State House of Assembly for review, the commencement of new directional signs across the State as well as the review and approval of the report of the integrated rural development projects across the State.

Flanked by the Commissioner for Rural Development, Mr. Lanre Balogun, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Segun Ayobolu and the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor, Mr. Hakeem Bello, the Commissioner recalled the controversies that have trailed the Coroner Law since its amendment was passed into law over a month ago, saying the action was based on the arguments raised by some stakeholders and concerned citizens especially the religious bodies.

Although the Commissioner did not expatiate on the sections of the Law that were retouched by the Council, he said that since the controversies were largely informed by misunderstanding and misconception of the Law, the amendments had been structured to take care of the complaints of stakeholders, especially the religious bodies. Inputs that informed the proposed amendments, he added, also came from the professional bodies and civil society.

The three-storey Cardiac and Renal Centres, Bamidele said, would deal with the diseases which, according to him “has constituted a menace to the populace“, adding that the construction would boost the efforts of the State Government in the provision of healthcare delivery to the people of the State.

Noting that open heart surgeries are better when performed in ultra-modern and conducive environment, Opeyemi said the Centre would also provide facilities for transplant and dialysis so that those suffering from the diseases would not have to travel Overseas for treatment, adding that it would also encourage the nation’s medical experts in the Diaspora to return home.

The Commissioner said the Cardiac Centre would be located on the ground floor of the building while the Renal Centre would occupy the First floor, leaving the last floor to be used as administrative block. He said the challenges posed by flood at the Gbagada Hospital were being addressed, adding that the revamping of the environment of the place was part of the overall contract.

On the directional signs, Bamidele said a total of 5, 800 new street directional signs had been approved for eight Local Government areas in the State in addition to the installation of 6, 000 others across the State, adding that by the approval which, according to him, was the fourth and final phase of the project, every street in Lagos would be designated with directional signs.

He said the Executive Council also reviewed and approved the report of the State’s Integrated development that 314 rural projects have been delivered in 38 communities in the State.

Fielding questions later, the Commissioner said the construction of the Cardiac and Renal Centres would last twelve months, adding that the entire project would be accommodated in the State’s 2008 Budget.

He said a blue print on agriculture had been submitted to the State Executive Council by the Ministry of Agriculture and was at the moment being studied, adding that government was meanwhile engaged in fish farming while parts of Epe and Badagry had been mapped out for farming.