The Chief Medical Director, CMD, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Prof. Wasiu Adeyemo has disclosed that the Federal Government is making concerted efforts to address the challenge of mass exodus of health practitioners from the country known as Japa syndrome.
Prof. Adeyemo, at a press conference to mark his one year in office, decried the exodus of doctors from the country for ‘greener pastures’ , assured that the government is committed to ensuring that medical practitioners are well motivated to stay in the country.
“Basically when we talk about the reason people leave the country, you will mention poor hospital equipment and remuneration. But in the last one year, the government has been spending a lot of money to improve hospital infrastructure and has constituted a committee to address other issues bedevilling our health system,” he said.
Prof. Adeyemo said salary increment is critical to curbing the menace of Japa syndrome and assured that the Federal government is on top of it.
Recounting his achievements in the last one year as the CMD at LUTH, Prof Adeyemo said “the last one year has been very eventful and successful.
“On assumption of office, I was faced with three major tasks: completion of projects by the last administration, pursuing my own vision for the hospital and lastly pursuing the vision of the President and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, which I have been able to successfully undertake.
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“The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare developed a four point agenda to drive the objectives of President Bola Tinubu in the health sector.
“The agenda includes improving the quality of governance and leadership of hospitals, regulatory capacity, and agencies under the ministry, improving population health, promoting medical industrialization and improving health security and invention in public health.”
He noted that management of LUTH will continue to partner with the leadership of the parent ministry in contributing its quota towards achieving the laudable 4-point agenda of government.
The CMD also stated that the NSIA-LUTH Cancer Centre is the single largest Cancer facility in West Africa and has provided care to over 11,000 patients since 2019 when it was commissioned, thereby saving the country millions in foreign exchange that would have been expended on medical tourism.
He noted that LUTH is now a go-to hospital for cancer management in West Africa and is even attracting clients from abroad.
“For comprehensive cancer care, the Federal Government has also committed to building a Nuclear Medicine Centre at LUTH with the signing of an MOU last Friday between NSIA and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, noting that “this is a multi-billion Naira project that will make available PET Scan, Cyclotron and radio-pharmacy to complement the already existing cancer management facilities at LUTH.”
Prof Adeyemo said: “the Federal Government has also made funds available to the hospital to upgrade endoscopic surgical services in Paediatric Surgery, General Surgery, Urology and Gastroenterology.
“Endoscopic procedures, otherwise not possible a few years ago, are now being carried out in LUTH. Other hospitals now refer patients who require video-bronchoscopy to LUTH.”
Prof. Adeyemo, who also disclosed that efforts are ongoing to establish a Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at LUTH in 2024, among many other infrastructures, noted that the effort was driven by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare under the leadership of the ministers, Prof. Muhammed Ali Pate and Dr Tunji Alausa.
The CMD commended the staff and unions of the hospital for their cooperation in piloting the affairs of the hospital even as he urged them to sustain tbeir commitment and dedication in providing qualitative and affordable healthcare to Nigerians.
President, Association of Resident Doctors, Dr. Adedotun Adesiyakan commended the CMD for his deliberate attempt to improve the welfare of doctors and the work environment at LUTH.
“We can see that he is very deliberate in trying to tackle some of the problems that have burdened the health sector for a very long time. We are happy and we hope to continue to have this direction,” he said.
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