Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire over the weekend visited the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba where met with top management of the hospital.
Also during the visit, the Honourable Minister sought ways through which the ministry and the hospital could work together in finding ways in handling covid-19 pandemic.
In his speech, he said: “This visit itself has been frequently postponed because of the restriction of the COVID-19 pandemic and also the fact that I myself had so much to do in Abuja in trying to find the way forward in handling COVID-19 but eventually I decided”well let’s take the plunge”.
We had made the decision to come here before which had to be aborted because something else came up and we decided finally, well, let’s do a very short notice because if you tell people several days ahead that you are coming, they will do a lot of preparation, and if you don’t make it, it’s quite disappointing. So I decided to do a very short notice so you will not be too disappointed.
The Minister also commended the hospital. He said: “We have heard from the Medical Director that this is a historic hospital, historic in the sense that we are told it’s the 2nd hospital after Calabar; (FNPHC) but apart from being historic, it is also a hospital that has reputation; it has name, is well known and also well respected all over the country, and that is something that is not to be taken lightly when a hospital has reputation.”
“So as for this place and its reputation, everywhere you go in the world now, you will see hospitals that are very well reputed, and you will see that even the space they have is not up to half of this. So, this is Lagos, and you will never get all the land you want, and at the same time this is a prime society, it is within reach of many people who will need it.”
Also speaking, he said: “It is well known; they know the bus stop to get here, they know. So it has recognition. And my recommendation is that you build up this place. Build upwards and make the best use of the land. We shall support that effort; we are advising many organisations to do that. But there is a time that even this place may not be enough, so, also build up Oshodi.”
“You can build upwards too, because Lagos is growing and the need for neuro-psychiatric services will increase. There are more people coming in and more people will require this service. Even those who, as we thought before, are not necessarily psychotic, will require attention and will be seeking attention.” He also said.
