2nd December, 2011
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) on Thursday handed over the Maternal and Child Care Centre in Ajegunle to the residents, restating that his administration has demonstrated the imagination and determination to deliver improved healthcare for children and mothers.
The governor who spoke at Mba Street, Ajegunle location of the hospital which is the fourth to be handed over by the present administration added that maternal and child health remains critical determinants of global and national health.
“Women of child bearing age and the pediatric age group constitute a significant and vulnerable segment of the good people of Lagos State. We cannot underplay the crucial and unequalled roles our mothers play in the nurturing and growth of our children and consequently, our nation. We will continue to strive for their utmost comfort and safetyâ€, the governor said.
Governor Fashola disclosed that the first three maternal and child care centres which are located in Ikorodu, Isolo and Ifako Ijaiye were handed over in the first quarter of 2010 and have collectively in their first 21 months of operation recorded a total of 89,255 ante natal clinic attendances.
He added that during the same period, the three hospitals dealt with 15,091 gynecologic clinic attendances out of which 5,335 children (4.4percent) required hospitalization. Of the total of 9,689 deliveries conducted to date in the three hospitals, 3,653(38percent) were caesarean sections.
He disclosed that the Ajeromi Maternal and Child Care Centre which is being handed over actually commenced operation in July this year and has as at November recorded ante natal clinic attendance of 2116, gynecology clinic attendance of 783 and pediatric clinic attendance of 4,423 out of which 254 required hospitalization.
The governor said the Ajeromi facility has also recorded 254 deliveries inclusive of 94 caesarean sections and 31 gynecological surgeries and expressed hope that the availability of the services would complement other maternal and child survival strategies being implemented by the State.
He also used the occasion to reiterate his message about the need to control the rate at which the people procreate stressing that birth control and family planning are the responsibility that everyone must take seriously.
“Our war against poverty will be difficult to win if nothing is done to aggressively control our population growth. If we control the number, the feast will be plentifulâ€, he stated.