22nd May, 2018
The Association of Lagos State Retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries (ALARHOSPS) has called on all relevant stakeholders in the education sector to periodically review school curriculum to keep abreast of new developments, just as it called for the integration of Cancer Screening and treatment into the Lagos State Health Insurance Scheme.
While the Association urged the Lagos State Government to immediately commence the implementation of the Health Insurance Scheme with measures that will encourage all private health care facilities in the State to come on-board and with a view to making healthcare available to citizens of the State, it also underscored the need to deploy additional Counselors to Lagos schools to guide students in their educational careers.
This was contained in communiqué issued by the Association at the end of its 5th Bi-Annual Summit with the theme “Lagos State Vision on Education and Health in relation to Sustainable Development Goals: An Overview”
The Summit, which was held at Alausa Secretariat on Thursday focused on the Vision of the Lagos State Government by way of policies enunciated, as well as programmes and projects being implemented towards achieving its goal for the education and health sectors respectively.
ALARHOSPS being a composition of experienced technocrats and tested bureaucrats established by the State Government to serve as a think-tank and an advisory body to Government on its programmes, plans and policies had been at the forefront of delivering on its mandates since its establishment years back.
The Association believes that among several other important steps, the above submissions were critical to the attainment on Goals 3 and 4 of the Sustainable Development Goals (2016-2030) which were respectively geared towards the attainment of Health and Well-being, and Quality Education for the citizenry.
“The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3, relevant to the Health Sector, is aimed at ensuring “Good Health and Well-being for people”. It comprises of thirteen (13) targets, which have been compacted to ten (10) targets for ease of administration and aimed at reducing child mortality, improving maternal mortality and Combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases.” the Communique added.
ALARHOSPS commended the state government for domesticating the Health Insurance Scheme, describing the move as very critical in achieving zero maternal morbidity and other preventable deaths arising from lack of proper medical attention.
The Association, while attributing some of the challenges being faced by the present Nigerian graduates to mismatch in the abilities of the graduates and their various courses of study, called for quick remedial intervention by government to help nip the development in the bud right from the elementary schools.