LAGOS—THE Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, OSSAP-SDGs, has inaugurated an 80-bed hospital at the Lagos State University, LASU, Ojo,Lagos. While inaugurating the project, Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said it would help in meeting the health needs of staff and students of the university. 

Speaking on the occasion, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, said the facility, as with other hospitals and primary healthcare centres constructed and equipped by her office across the country, was a clear demonstration of the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari government to address the health challenges in Nigeria.

She added that it was also in line with the spirit and intent of SDG-3 on ‘Quality Health and Well-being for all’, as well as other cross-cutting SDGs. 

“With its commissioning today, the Primary Healthcare Centre, LASU joins other such facilities already delivered by OSSAP-SDGs, and are being put to good use to save lives across the country”. Princess Orelope-Adefulire stated.

The 80-bed Primary Healthcare Centre, LASU is fully equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, including Intensive Care Unit, Operating Theatre, Laboratory, Blood Bank and Consultation Rooms, Emergency Ward as well as Male and Female Wards among other facilities.

“These facilities are testament to His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment to prioritizing policies and programmes with potential impact on the lives of the poor and vulnerable Nigerians. It is therefore expected that state government and the management of the institution will make judicious use of the centre in a sustainable way for the benefit of the staff and students,” she stated.

In furtherance of her commitment to fast-track the achievement of the SDGs in Nigeria, since 2016, the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs has embarked on a number of strategic interventions across the 36 states and the FCT. 

Between 2017 and 2020, OSSAP-SDGs completed or about to complete the construction and equipping of a total of 34 number 120 Beds Mother and Child Centres; 16 number 80 Beds Ultra-Modern Hospitals; and 84 number Primary Healthcare Centres across the country among other numerous projects, while over 4,634 specialized Hospital Beds were   supplied to different hospitals across the country.

Also, OSSAP-SDGs as part of the moves to help reduce maternal and child mortality ratio in Nigeria in conjunction with Coca Cola and Medshare International launched the Safe Birth Initiative designed to support 10 selected tertiary level hospitals in the country with state of the art life-saving medical equipment and technical capacity building.