Lagos State has launched the Floating Clinic Boat, a Fiber Glass, Mono Hull Boat 200HP x 2 capacity, to be used in attending to inland waterways’ medical emergencies.

The Lagos State Ministry of Health disclosed this in a press statement issued on Wednesday and signed by the Director of Public Affairs, Mr. Tunbosun Ogunbanwo.

The Floating Clinic Boat, a brain child of the Ministry of Health and the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), is equipped with four medical observation beds, medium sterilisation unit, o2 bottle, gauge, infusion stand, foldable stretcher and a fully kitted first aid box.

It is compartmentalised into four sections of the Wheel house (for captain and crew), observation room (for patients), doctors’ office and nurses’ station, and reception.

“The floating clinic boat will also be useful in the medical outreach for communities who live along the river.

“The procurement of the clinic boat, is to increase the access of Lagos residents to quick, qualitative and effective health care services on waterways and riverine communities across the state,” the ministry said.

The boat clinic is said to be furnished with four medical observation beds, a medium sterilisation unit, an o2 bottle, a gauge, an infusion stand, a foldable stretcher, and a fully equipped first aid box.

The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr Olusegun Ogboye, who spoke at the launch and inspection of the floating clinic boat, stated that the main aim of the clinic boat is to assist in providing emergency first aid and basic healthcare services to areas only accessible by water.

Ogboye said, “The Floating Clinic is mainly to deal with emergencies on the waterways and provide outreach services to riverine communities. This is part of the initiative by the Ministry of Health to ensure that we extend our medical and ambulance service to the waterways, remote riverine communities, and areas that can only be accessed by water.

“This is also an example of partnership between different agencies of government. The boat actually belongs to LASWA but will be operated by the Ministry of Health,” he said.

Ogboye further revealed that the clinic boat will be used for the current vaccination campaign in riverine communities and water ways across Lagos State.

The Nigerian government has handed over the livestock health centre its built and equipped for the treatment of animals to the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).

Speaking during the handing over in Kuje Area Council, the Director and chief veterinary officer of Nigeria, Dr. Maimuna Habib disclosed that the project was executed to provide quality animal health care services delivery to livestock farmers and pastoralists.

She said the centre was constructed by the Veterinary and pest control services department of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to help rural dwellers improve on their livestock production.

Mrs Habib explained that the federal government was intervening in the area of veterinary infrastructure in the country in order to boost the capacity of the veterinary services in the society.

She said, “This primary animal health care centre was constructed by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in 2018, and today we are officially handing it over to the veterinary services Department of the FCT for effective use.”

Making his remark, the Mandate Secretary Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat in FCTA, Mallam Abubakar Ibrahim said the Secretariat would put in place more measures to prevent outbreak and spread of animal diseases.

He stated that the secretariat will strengthen its surveillance system in high risk areas such as live bird and cattle markets, veterinary clinics, abattoirs across the Federal Capital Territory to achieve more results in disease reporting and response.

According to him, a week ago, the secretariat mobilized about 90 veterinary health personnel to kickstart the mass treatment of livestock in the Six Area Councils of the FCT.

He, therefore called on the residents to patronize the centre as well as other government approved clinics in the territory.

According to him, “I would like to call on the residents to patronize the centre as well as other government approved clinics in the FCT.”

Anambra state governor Charles Soludo has inaugurated a private oxygen plant in Isiaku Nimo in Njikoka local government area of the state.

The oxygen built by Isiaku Micro Finance Bank Nimo was valued at cost over N200 million and designed to serve both the private and public hospitals in the state.

According to Soludo, represented by the Commissioner for health, Dr Ben Obidike the plant will ensure strict compliance to the availability of oxygen in their respective health facilities.

“This project is strategic and in line with the government policies and programs in the educational sector and with what we have on ground that makes it two oxygen plants in Anambra state after the initial one at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital in Awka.

“This would also go a long way to assist in fighting health challenges in the state and as a matter of policy the state government here by direct all private and public hospitals to ensure strict compliance to the availability of oxygen in their respective health facilities,” he said.

Also speaking, the former Commissioner for health and currently the Chief Medical Director of the Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital Dr Jeo Akabuike noted that the state still needs more of such facilities in the major towns in the area.

“As a matter of fact we need more of such facilities in the state and we need both government and private sector participation in the area of having more oxygen plants in our state because Oxygen is life and this would help to arrest emergency situations so that the usual story of no oxygen would be a thing of the past,” he added.

In his address at the occasion the Chairman Isiaku Micro Finance Bank Nimo Hon Ikem Uzoezie said, as a result of research and practical business experience, Oxygen hub developed the Branded Business in collaboration with local businesses like Isiaku Life Bank located in Sub Saharan Africa and with the view to build a network of medical grade Oxygen supplies.

According to him, the franchise is financed by the Directors of Isiaku Micro Finance Bank and other local investors to the sum of N200 million. He said the total investment from Oxygen hub is 400.000 dollars.

In her remark the Anambra state Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association NMA Dr Jane Ezeonu noted that the Oxygen Plant is yet another impetus to the health sector in the state adding that the association encourage more private sector participation in establishing more plants in other parts of the state.