jamal 
BY TEMITAYO OLUMIDE AYODELE
The Lagos State Government has said it would soon complete the construction of the 280-bed Ojo General Hospital, which was started over a year ago by Governor Sanwo-Olu’s administration.
State Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, who disclosed this during an inspection tour of the project site, said that the secondary health facility located in the heart of Ojo Local Government Area would be completed and delivered in nine months.
Abayomi noted that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is committed to the prompt delivery of the Ojo General Hospital in order to improve access to quality and efficient healthcare services in the local government and neighbouring communities.
He added that the hospital, when completed, will provide health care services to over two million citizens within its catchment area in tandem with the State Government’s efforts to achieve universal health coverage.
Explaining that the facilities in the hospital have been carefully designed with special attention to low carbon footprint, the Commissioner said the project also took cognisance of the functionality flow for patients and health workers within the facility.
In his words: “Today the Ministry of Health is inspecting one of our major medical health projects; the Ojo General Hospital in Ojo LGA, which is part of Mr. Governor’s medical transformation agenda. With this project, we have paid special attention to design, functionality, carbon footprint and long-term low carbon maintenance”.
“So what we have also done with this project is that right at the point of the design, we have paid attention to the functionality; the flow of the patients and staff, and we have made sure that the construction is low carbon and when the project is completed, the design features will keep the building naturally as cool as possible”, he added.
Expressing satisfaction at the level of work done so far, the Commissioner disclosed that the hospital, when delivered, will provide medical services in multiple specialities including Surgery, Medicine, Neurology and Infectious Diseases amongst others.
He added that four units of medical staff quarters consisting of eight flats each are also being constructed for critical medical staff who will man the facility, noting that this is in furtherance of efforts to provide prompt and efficient health service delivery.
Abayomi noted that the inclusion of staff quarters in projects is to provide decent and comfortable accommodation for staff of the hospital, which underscores the commitment of Governor Sanwo-Olu to the welfare and job satisfaction of health workers in Lagos State.
Speaking on the choice of location for the facility, the Commissioner explained that the hospital has been strategically located in Ojo bordering critical public institutions like the Lagos State University Campus and the Ojo military cantonment.
He stated that the hospital will cover a wide area and bridge the gap in health service demand between the catchment area of Alimosho General Hospital and Badagry General Hospital with other areas in the lagoon communities covering the Snake and Tin Can Islands.
Abayomi was accompanied on the facility inspection tour by the Director of Health Care Planning Research and Statistics, Ministry of Health, Dr. Dayo Lajide, and staff of the Project Inspection Unit of the Ministry of Health.
