Health

Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Health Care

Primary health care mainly focuses on health awareness, diseases prevention and treatment, maternal and child health, immunizations, and drug provisions. It is the first contact for health services for individuals, families and communities.

The Lagos state government in 2023 divided primary health care facilities into 6 districts to cover the 20 local governments. Data from the Lagos state ministry of health indicates that there are 319 health care centres in the state, 30 secondary care centres and 1 tertiary health care facility.

The new government in 2027 led by Oladipo Fadamiro will ensure the following in each of these care centres especially primary health care centres

1. Constant power supply and water is a necessity. The building and environment should be clean, safe and conducive
2. They must also be adequately equipped with supplies such as syringes, gloves, catheters as well as equipment such as beds, examination tables, microscopes, scales, etc.
3. They should be ICT-friendly with computers and having online presence.
4. Staff should be adequate, efficient, friendly and helpful. Regular communication (through SMS and email) with its registered members for dissemination of important information should be encouraged.
5. Services will be generally free for Lagosians with health insurance

Other improvement in the Health Sector

(a) Health records should not only be kept in files but also in secured database systems

(b) Ambulance system needs be more responsive and should arrive at the point where it is needed in less than 20 minutes

(c) Employing simple telemedicine models.

Health Insurance
Health insurance and Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plans are important. It provides a financial safety net that can cover unexpected medical expenses. Every Lagosian needs to have health insurance.

All registered students in Lagos state schools from nursery to senior secondary level must have health insurance (This automatically includes the parents or guardians). Workers in the informal and formal sector should have health insurance. Also, all civil servants must be registered with a competent health insurance company. At the barest minimum, a health insurance will cover outpatient care, pre-natal and post-natal care, treatment of common diseases such as malaria, typhoid fever, cholera, and so on.

Reduction of capital flight in the health sector

According to the Lagos state chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association, these 4 things will be done to reduce the ‘japa’ syndrome among health care professionals.

1. Improve remuneration.
2. Provide better welfare packages such as housing and car loans
3. Invest in the training and retraining of doctors locally and abroad
4. Improve infrastructure and working environment.