Lagos reads riot act to doctors, health workers

Rauf Aregbesola PHC Centre’s workers for sanction

Lagos Assembly House Committee on Health has said that it would no longer be business as usual for state health practitioners who are in the habit neglecting duty and promoting inefficiency in the system.

The committee, headed by Segun Olulade, said that the sector has had one too many complaints about quality of care and attitude of workers, all of which the current dispensation would not overlook to bring culpable hands to book.

In a related development, the commissioner for health, Dr. Jide Idris, has also hinted that the ministry was strengthening enforcement activities, with a resolve to make scapegoats of erring workers.

Idris, on Tuesday told reporters that all officials of Rauf Aregbesola Primary Health Centre (PHC), Alimoso, would in fact face disciplinary panel following the conclusion of investigation into the death of a pregnant mother who died during labour.

Olulade said that the main priority of his committee saddled with oversight function on state’s health facilities, is the efficiency of the primary, secondary and tertiary health facilities.

He said that they were grateful for the substantial provision for infrastructure in the recently proposed Year 2016 budget, coupled with the coming State health insurance scheme that has promised to avail funds for infrastructure for better health service.

“But before that, we (the committee) will swing into action soon and visit some of the hospitals in the state and those, who are not serious about being health providers would find their ways out of the sector,” he said.

Continuing, the chairman said: “Healthcare is what we cannot joke about; it is our collective responsibility and all hands must be on deck. The Governor is committed to this; members of the state executive council and the Lagos State House of Assembly are all committed to this. We would ensure that there is efficiency in our health system.

“We are aware of the nonchalant attitude of some doctors and nurses in the state, we will not tolerate that again. We are creating a zero tolerance on inefficiency in our health sector. We will ensure that everyone that lives in Lagos or has anything to do with the state has a qualitative health care. This is our vision and we will see it materialise.”

Olulade, who was the former committee chairman on Information, Security and Strategy at the last Session, urged the journalists and members of the public to channel their complaints to the House, with the assurance that they would take decisive actions.

“We will perform our oversight functions, visit all the health centres and hospitals in Lagos State. We want to have a turn-around in the sector and efficiency that is not common in this part of the world.

“We will have a family in the healthcare sector in the state, we will relate with one another on the issue of health in the state. Our personal interest would not affect the issue of healthcare in the state,” he said.