Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Friday inaugurated a pediatric sickle cell center at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the center was donated to LASUTH by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAP-SDG).
Sanwo-Olu said the center will provide comprehensive care including early diagnosis, advanced treatment and ongoing management to children suffering from the debilitating sickle cell disease.
According to him, the center will serve as a research and education center and foster greater awareness and a deeper understanding of sickle cell anemia.
“This will not only transform our entire healthcare landscape, but will increase the number of childcare facilities that already exist in our state healthcare institutions.
“It will increase the capacity of the state’s medical services and, very importantly, will contribute to improving the state’s maternal and infant mortality rate,” he said.
The governor noted that the center would provide an environment where children could receive comprehensive care tailored to their needs, from medical treatment to psychological support.
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“We believe this will ensure that every child who has the opportunity to come to this center comes out healthier, better and able to live their lives,” he said.
Earlier, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Tunji Alausa, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to combating non-communicable diseases and improving healthcare outcomes for Nigerians.
Alausa said sickle cell anemia, along with malaria, cancer, hypertension, diabetes and other non-communicable diseases, represents a substantial health burden on the country, worsening the morbidity and mortality of citizens.
“At the federal level, we recognize the urgent need to address these challenges and are committed to building a robust infrastructure to manage and mitigate the impact in collaboration with our subnational government.
“The establishment of this state-of-the-art Sickle Cell Center is a testament to the SDG office’s dedication to providing quality healthcare and infrastructure to our people.
“This center is not just a building, it is a ray of hope for many and a cornerstone of our strategy to improve healthcare services across the country,” he said.
The minister highlighted the importance of harnessing resources to their full potential, ensuring they deliver on their promise of improving lives.
Alausa advised subnational governments to form strategic partnerships for healthcare and human capital development, emphasizing that through collaboration a resilient health system capable of meeting population demand would emerge.
He commended the Lagos State Government and OSSAP-SDG for their partnership in providing world-class cancer care to children and their commitment to innovative research.
Additionally, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, said the center would improve the quality of care for children with sickle cell anemia.
Ms. Orelope-Adefulire noted that the center was an intervention to reduce the number of under-five child mortality and strengthen the achievement of the SDG targets in the country.
LASUTH Chief Medical Director Adetokunbo Fabamwo said Nigeria had one of the highest rates of sickle cell anemia globally, with up to three million people living with the condition.
Fabamwo noted that the condition contributes significantly to childhood morbidity and mortality.
“Therefore, it is appropriate to have a center like this to offer preventive and therapeutic care to sick children.
“The creation of this center takes a great burden off the clinics and therapeutic wards, which are usually overcrowded,” he said.