Lagos records first successful bone bridge surgery in W’Africa

The Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) carried out the first successful bone bridge surgery in West Africa in December 2015.

The hospital also conducted successful cochlear implant surgeries on three deaf patients, and also had its first successful kidney transplant carried out by the hospital’s team of urologists and nephrologists.

Jide Idris, commissioner for health, made this known during a press briefing in commemoration of the one year anniversary of Akinwunmi Ambode, governor of the state.

Idris said in 11 months, the state government recorded remarkable feats in the sector due to the “purposeful leadership and support” of the governor.

He said in the period under review, LASUTH in collaboration with Vision Care and South Korean Community in Nigeria provided free cataract surgeries for 120 Lagosians and treated 250 outpatients in November.

While 4,867 patients were given free glasses under the blindness prevention programme.

The Commissioner said apart from the fact that LASUTH won several international awards of excellence in the period under review, the Departments of Internal Medicine, ENT, Psychiatry and Pediatrics were granted accreditations by the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, while Fatiregun Omolara, the first female Oncologist in Nigeria, emanated from LASUTH.

While reeling out the various completed and ongoing projects in medical centres across the state, Idris said a new Critical Care Unit at LASUTH and Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM) has been practically completed and ready for commissioning.

He added that the contract for renovation and extension of the Old Ayinke House has been re-awarded with immediate commencement of work, as well as the psychiatry ward.

In the secondary health care, the cCommissioner said projects already completed included the purchase of 26 Ambulances for General Hospitals and LASUTH; procurement and installation of 26 Mobile Toshiba X-ray machines, construction and equipping of Accident and Emergency Centre in Ikorodu General Hospital, construction of Sewage Treatment Plant in Apapa and Somolu General Hospitals, installation of internet facility at the health service commission for improved effectiveness and seamless performance of its activities, while major renovation works are currently ongoing in all the general hospitals in the state, as well as LASUCOM and School of Nursing Hostel, Igando.