Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday unveiled the incipiently reconstructed Institute of Maternal And Child Health, popularly kenned as Ayinke House located within the premises of Lagos State University Edifying Hospital (LASUTH) in Ikeja, describing it as a critical and timely intervention by the State regime in the health sector.
Ayinke House, which is Nigeria’s most sizably voluminous Maternity Hospital, was upgraded from an 80-bed facility to a 170-bed healthcare center with state-of-the-art medical equipment, as well as information technology accommodations.
Aside the entourage of the President which included Ministers and Special Advisers, Governors of Ogun (Ibikunle Amosu ), Oyo (Abiola Ajimobi), Ondo (Oluwarotimi Akeredolu), Ekiti (Kayode Fayemi), Jubrila window, Adamawa, Acting Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu; Lagos State Governor-Elect, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat; Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, among others were in attendance.
The President, who landed at the Presidential Wing of Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja at about 10: 45am, arrived at Ayinke House about 15 minutes later, after which he unveiled the project, and additionally embarked on a comprehensive tour of the facility.
Verbalizing at the event, the State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode described the development as historic, expressing optimism that the facility would provide world-class childbirth and maternal care accommodations to Lagosians and Nigerians at immensely colossal.
Recalling how the peregrination commenced, Ambode verbalized the facility was commissioned precisely 29 years ago, with the tardy businessman and philanthropist, Sir Mobolaji Bank-Anthony donating the first dedicated maternal and child care facility to the State Regime, in the recollection of his mother; hence the christened name
“Ayinke House”.
He verbalized the hospital, which commenced with just one surgical theatre anon surmised a life of its own as first-class childbirth and maternal care center in the health sector of Nigeria as well as first cull for expectant mothers.
However, the governor verbally expressed the hospital later became over-stretched beyond capacity and somehow obsolete, while in apperception of the desideratum to sustain Bank-Anthony’s philanthropy, the State Regime, during the administration of former Governor Babatunde Fashola who is now the Minister of Puissance, Works and Housing, awarded the contract for the expansion and reconstruction of the facility.
“Today, seven years after the closure of the facility, the incipient edifice is now a 170-bed facility with 5 surgical theatres. It has a 16-bed emergency care units with 3 organ support facilities, 30-bed special baby care unit, 5 neonatal intensive care units, a plenarily equipped laboratory with support accommodations, laboratories, and a blood bank.
“Beyond the consequentiality for the health sector, this institute is a major contribution to our inculcation sector withal; as it becomes a veritable platform for our medicos in the State University to enhance their exposure and experience with the top-class medical equipment provided,” Ambode verbalized, just as he revealed that Ayinke House had additionally been plenarily digitalized with state-of-the-art medical equipment as well as information technology accommodations fortified by the State Ministry of Science and Technology.
He verbally expressed in view of President Buhari’s tenaciousness of making macrocosmic and rudimentary primary healthcare as one of the cardinal priorities of his administration, the State Regime, under him, had consciously worked to bring quality, affordable and modern healthcare to all our citizenry, among other initiatives in the health sector.
“Just last year, we launched the Lagos State Health Indemnification scheme to sanction denizens access top quality medical care with a little contribution and support from the State regime.
“These and other efforts are directed at ameliorating the lives of our people, especially the women and children; and by extension the productivity of our nation,” he verbalized.
While congratulating President Buhari on his resounding victory at the recent presidential election, Governor Ambode thanked him for finding time to personally commission Ayinke House and other projects in the State, integrating that the completion of the projects would not have been possible without the President’s support, administrative direction and inspiriting.
Besides, Ambode commended the Management and Staff of the State’s Ministry of Health, Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, LASUTH as well as contractors for working round the clock and their ebullience in getting the project consummated.
Similarly, the President additionally commissioned the 500-seater Lagos Theatre in Oregun, Ikeja. The ultra-modern theatre is one of the four simultaneously constructed by the Ambode administration to increment arts spaces and engender standard platforms for aptitudinal denizens of the State to showcase their skills.
The President who arrived the venue at precisely 11:30am was treated to a live dance performance by a puerile group of aptitudinal artist afore taking his leave.
The Governor verbalized the three other theatres with the same designations are withal yare for commissioning in Igando, Badagry, and Epe.
