Kunle Adelabu
-It would move GH forward, save lives – Dr Taiwo Hassan, MD
-The construction, equipping will be speeded up –Odofin Ogunsanya
-Stop encroaching on GH lands – Oba Shotobi warns ‘Omo Oniles’
After a year of planning and waiting for approval, the construction of a multi – million Renal Centre, which would serve as the Nephrology Department for the General Hospital (GH), Ikorodu, commenced on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, while the Medical Director/Chief Executive Officer of the hospital, Dr Taiwo Hassan, assured that the operation of the centre would assist them in saving many lives.
The construction is being sponsored by the Chairman, MultiChoice Nigeria and the Odofin of Ikorodu Kingdom, Odofin Adewunmi Ogunsanya, through the Ikorodu Division Peace Initiatives Limited (IDPIL), a body that he is serving as its chairman.
The ground floor of the building, which measures about 600square meters, will have a reception and waiting area with capacity of 25 people; 2 consultant rooms; pharmacy, account department; information desk, dialysis centre with capacity for six patients at a time; nurse’s station, call room for nurses, nurse’s lounge with male and female lockers and backroom facilities.
At the back of the building, there will be equipment storage room and water treatment plant, while the upper floor will have intensive care unit; two wards with 16 beds, male call room, nurse’s lounge and backroom facilities; open and two private offices.
Dr Taiwo Hassan, MD/CEO, GH Ikorodu, speaking at the ceremony, thanked the donor for embarking on the construction of the renal centre which he said when completed, would ebable the general hospital to have an additional department.
“I particular want to say thank you to Odofin Adewunmi Ogunsanya, SAN. We are saying thank you because you have done something that is unprecedented in this town”, he said.
“The hospital started with four departments, but I am glad to tell you that today, we now operate 32 departments. One of the departments that this hospital is lacking is a Nephology and that is the section that deals with kidney and that is why this project gladdens our heart.
“We are happy that Odofin Adewunmi Ogunsanya has thought it fit to build and equip it. He gladly accepted that this hospital will be given a renal centre which is a nephrology department.
“He did not only stop at that, he went further to include an intensive care unit into the project. That is very laudable”, Dr Hassan said.
Speaking on the importance of the centre, Dr Hassan said that the hospital records between 8 to 10 patients with kidney challenges and needs dialysis for their treatment, but that they usually refer them to Gbagada, because of the lack of the facility.
He added that many important indigenes of Ikorodu, have been lost to kidney related problems.
“Every week, we usually have between 8 to 10 patients that have kidney issues and needs dialysis and because this hospital does not have it, we usually refer them and we have lost so many of those patients”, the medical doctor said.
“We have high – flying Ikorodu indigenes who are equally battling with the issue and there are also high – flying Ikorodu indigenes that have died from this kidney related diseases. Diabetes and hypertension are major causes of kidney failures and it is very rampant in our society.
“If we go to the Accident & Emergency Unit now, we would count between four and five people who need dialysis and we have already referred them, but because the Gbagada General Hospital where we do refer them to said that they cannot be accommodated for now because of bed space. So, we must get bed space before we move them.
“So, we want to say thank you to the Odofin of Ikorodu, for deeming it fit that this General Hospital should have a dialysis centre”.
While stating the achievements of the GH Ikorodu, Dr. Hassan informed traditional rulers, donor, and eminent personalities in attendance that the renal centre would make them perform better and save more lives.
“It is happening in our time and we are very delighted that the project is happening here. It is a plus for General Hospital, Ikorodu, which has persistently and consistently won the best hospital in Lagos State from 2014 to 2020”, he said.
“Yours truly, Dr Taiwo Hassan also won the Best Director Service Delivery persistently from 2014 to 2020.
“Of late, the Save -Care, an award organization based in Amsterdam and deals with quality improvement and honours hospitals that have done so well. In Nigeria, there are no two hospitals that have won two of its awards, but last year, your hospital – the General Hospital, Ikorodu, got two of the Save -care awards which is laudable and commendable.
“With this renal centre, we would move General Hospital, Ikorodu, forward. In Save -Care, we are short of one mark because we have been able to move from level 1 to 4 and that was the highest. We are short of a mark that would have put us on Save -Care level 5.
“If we have gotten 75 marks, we would have been on level 5, but with this Renal Centre coming on board, we would do more and save more lives. Mortality rate would be reduced”, Dr Hassan assured.
Odofin Adewunmi Ogunsanya, Chairman, IDPIL, speaking, said that Olori Kudirat Abosede Shotobi encouraged him to take up the building of the renal centre with her persistent reminder and interest in the project.
“It was Olori Abosede Shotobi that brought up the idea of the renal centre and we are going to name a ward in the name of Olori Abosede Shotobi. This is her baby. She discussed the issue with me for about four times.
“So, I was encouraged because she was persistent with her request. I knew that it is important to her, because I also know that she is also into honouring the first baby of the year.
“Secondly, what also inspired the donation of this project aside Olori Shotobi, was when I asked after one of the IDPIL members and I was told that he went for dialysis in Lagos. I then thought that it is necessary that we provide the centre to take care of ourselves in Ikorodu. That was also an inspiration”
He assured the hospital management of continuous support from the IDPIL, while adding that world class equipment would also be donated to the centre.
“The Chief Medical Director should be rest assured that the IDPIL will support you in any manner or form that you need us. We will give you all the support”, Odofin Ogunsanya.
“It is not so much to build the centre, but equipping it, but the IDPIL has undertaken to give you world class equipment. We are not only donating the building. We are going to equip it with the best of the best equipment”, he added.
While narrating how he personally intervened with the Governor of Lagos State to stall the delay of the projects, Odofin Adewunmi also assured the royal fathers, hospital management and entire residents of Ikorodu that the completion of the renal centre would be fast – tracked.
“Before, we said that the project would be completed in 12 months, but with what the Medical Director has said here today, we would speed it up as much as possible”, he said.
The Ayangbure of Ikorodu, His Royal Majesty, Oba Kabir Shotobi, in his royal remarks, reiterated the need to upgrade the GH Ikorodu, to a teaching hospital.
Oba Shotobi lauded the contributions of the donor to Ikorodu Division, and prayed for him.
“The last time that the Nigerian Breweries came to commissioned the Emergency Ward, I told them that there is need to upgrade this place to a University Teaching Hospital, and they promised to look into it”, Oba Shotobi recalled.
“But I know that when it is time, it will be done and today, it is now time because Ikorodu will never be found wanting in the scheme of things and God has blessed one of our sons who is willingly taking up the responsibility of building the renal centre.
“The idea was sold to him and he put the thoughts together and accepted the responsibility and pledged to build it”.
The royal father also warned against further encroachment on the General Hospital lands, stating that there is need for more projects to be sited on the facility.
‘There is need for more space to accommodate car parks, extension and other projects for this hospital, but there has been encroachment on the hospital land. There must be a limitation to expansion and encroachment around the hospital, and failure to heed the warming would attract dire consequences”, Kabiyesi warned.
“We need more facilities here and it will not be proper if people that are coming to assist us cannot get space for what they want to do. What if the opportunity to build an orthopedic centre comes up, where do you want us to place it when you have encroached on the hospital lands?
“Please, limit your encroachment to where it is”, the Ayangbure of Ikorodu further warned.
His Royal Majesties, Oba Ajibade Bakare Agoro, the Ranodu of Imota and Oba Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali, the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, also offered special prayers for the donor.
Others at the ceremony were Oba Bashir Sotonwa, the Sekumade of Ipakodo, Oba David Balogun Raji, the Eweye of Isiu, Aremo Adeniyi Ogunsanya, the Aremo of Ikorodu, Otunba Ganiyu Abiru, Executive Secretary, IDPIL, Sir (Otunba) Ayodele Elesho, KJW, the Agbaakin of Ikorodu and Col. Titi Onafowokan, IDPIL chieftain among others.
General Hospital (GH), Ikorodu, started as a cottage hospital from the present Agbala Pediatric Centre which today is an extension of GH Ikorodu. In November 23, 1983, operations officially began at the hospital at its present location when the then Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, commissioned it.
