Kunle Adelabu
In the next few weeks, the residents of Imota Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Ikorodu Division area of Lagos State, Southwest, Nigeria, will start having access to a state – of – the – art medical facility within their community, which would prevent them from travelling any longer for miles to access health facilities due to lack of well equipped health centres in their area.
Over the years, residents of the community who needed medical attention, had been going to the General Hospital, Agbowa in Epe Division of the state, and also to the General Hospitals in Ijede and Ikorodu, both in Ikorodu Division where Imota is located.
The 80 – bed facility, which was facilitated by the representative of the Ikorodu Federal Constituency, Rep. Babajimi Benson, in November 2021, was facilitated through the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
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Imota community had, in 1972, gave the land (where the hospital is sited) which is about 19 acres, to the Lagos State Health Management Board, now the Lagos State Health Commission, for the construction of a General Hospital. Since the donation, the Ranodu of Imota, His Royal Majesty, Oba Ajibade Bakare Agoro, Ilufoworesetie I, and the entire Imota community, have been calling on the state government to establish the hospital to cater for the rural people, but all to no avail.
This was the situation until Hon. (Prince) Wasiu Adekunle Agoro, Chairman of Imota LCDA, approached Rep. Benson, with the assistance of the Ranodu, to request for the construction of a befitting hospital to serve the residents of the community. Consequently, the federal lawmaker, who is known for facilitating many developmental projects for his Constituency, immediately moved into action and facilitated the state – of – the – art – health facility which has now been completed, equipped and ready to serve the residents.
The medical facility, constructed by New Balance Corporate Services Limited, Plot 193, Ebitu Ukiwe Street, Jabi, Abuja, is a health facility with about eight wards/patient rooms equipped with medical equipment and other facilities.
The facility is one of the numerous dividends of democracy that the representation Rep. Babajimi Benson, at the federal level has brought to the people of lmota and lkorodu division generally, towards improving their quality of life.
Available at the hospital are: Theatre equipment, Incubators, Patient Monitor, Children bed, Mobile BP Monitor, Ventilator, Examination Bed/Couch, Automated Hospital Bed and Phototherapy. Other facilities available at the hospital are: Complete set of computer with all the accessories; Air condition; Furniture, Television and Generator (100kva) among others.
Hon. Wasiu Agoro, Imota LCDA Chairman who spoke with THE IMPACT reporter that toured the facility during the week to ascertain the level of completion and supply of equipment to the hospital, thanked the three term federal lawmaker for facilitating the hospital for the council, while adding that the facility would provide relief for the many residents that have, over the years, dependent on the General Hospital in Agbowa and other hospitals, for their medical attention.
“Thank to Hon. Babajimi Benson, a true son of Imota and entire Ikorodu Division, whom I liaised with the help of Ranodu of Imota and he helped secured this edifice (the hospital) that you are seeing here, which the state government has taken over, and which will be operational in the next few weeks”, he said.
“If you go to the Imota General Hospital, 80% of the patients there are from Imota, so, this is going to be a very big relief. You can imagine if someone is sick here and needing seriously medical attention, they will have to refer them to the Ikorodu General Hospital, and many lives have been lost through this.
“The new hospital facility here is 80 – bed facility that is equipped with modern equipment. It has five brand new incubators for children and 80 bed for male and female wards. Everything that is required in any General Hospital, is here now.
“We are very grateful to those that worked for this hospital to be brought here. We thank the Director – General, Millennium Development Goal (MDG) Her Excellency, Mrs Orelope Adefulire and especially, Hon. Babajimi Benson whom God will continue to bless and be with. He has always remembered the people of Imota, and God will continue to remember his family. I am very grateful to him. The entire Imota people are grateful to him. This hospital is just one of the numerous things that he has been doing for Imota LCDA”, Hon. Agoro said.
The Local Government boss, who said that the Council will be ready to vacate the premises which is temporarily hosting its secretariat, called on the Lagos State Government which has taken over the hospital, to take advantage of the land and transform it into a General Hospital for Imota.
“The Council is just a tenant on this land and before our administration got to the office, the council has been issued with quit notice to leave. The first thing that I did when we got to office in 2017, was to purchase 2 acres of land to build our secretariat, and the construction is very close to completion. We are ready to leave if the hospital is taking off tomorrow. We will get a temporary place to use till when we finish our secretariat. This is because we are eager to let the community enjoy the medical service”, he said.
“This land was given to the government to provide a General Hospital for them”, he added.
The Coordinator, National Association of Nigerian Youths (NYCN), Imota LCDA branch, Comrade Gboyega Folarin, also speaking with THE IMPACT, said that the facility would provide 21st Century medical attention to the people of Imota, and discourage them from seeking non – conventional medical care.
“The establishment of a General Hospital with 21st Century standard, is something that the youths of Imota LCDA have been yearning for, but all thanks to God and Rep. Babajimi Benson, for facilitating this dream come true project”, he said.
“I believed that the challenges our people go through to have access to quick medical attention would now become something of a past. With the presence of this facility, the people of Imota LCDA would stop patronising trado-medical hospitals, stop going to the General Hospital in Agbowa, Ijede and Ikorodu, in order to have access to a standard General Hospital”, he added.
