We need to prioritise our environment more than health facilities, says Fashola

By Gabriel Olawale

Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola has urged Nigerians to me more concerned with the quality of environment in which they live rather than agitating for more healthcare facilities.

He opinioned that the conversation should focus more on the wellbeing and wellness of every citizen as no quantity of health infrastructure can be enough, “our conversation seems to be focus predominantly on the quality of our health facilities rather than the quality of our environment.

“We focus more on the number of hospitals, doctors, nurses among other health workers, while that is good, I think the more need to be on the quality of our environment. For instance, cars are made to work rather than to be in the mechanic garage and you all know that we cannot build enough garages in case cars break down so also we cannot build enough hospitals.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that even the country with an abundance of hospitals and facilities soon became overwhelmed until they return to the basics such as hand washing, physical distance, sanitation among others.

“So ideal healthcare system must emphasise more on proper refuse disposal, screening, healthy living among others while healthcare facilities are not left behind.”

READ ALSO: Insecurity: CSOs back regional security outfits as cover for defenseless Nigerians

Fashola, a guest lecturer at the 7th Felix Oladejo Dosekun Memorial Lecture, said that Nigeria should not wait for the infrastructures to decay before starting the maintenance.

“We need to ask ourselves how we can replace, expand the decayed health infrastructures in the medical schools. No matter the quality of infrastructure, if people do not use it properly it will not last.”

Speaking on the theme, “Medical Education in Nigeria: The Challenges of Infrastructural Decay”, Fashola said: “Our focus is to redesign medical schools that will improve our public health and preventive health, especially epidemiology area because of the outbreak of infectious disease or viruses.

“We should have a different approach about how to prevent or slow down the decay or depreciation of health infrastructures,” Fashola said.

Late Prof. Felix Dosekun was the first Vice-Dean, University of Lagos Medical School; first Deputy Provost, College of Medicine, University of Lagos and first Emeritus Professor, University of Lagos, Nigeria.

Provost, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Prof. AdewaleOke said that the College had made great strides in the pursuit of excellence in medical education and biomedical research to keep in step with Prof.Dosekun’s legacy.

Oke said that the MBBS/BDS curriculum had been reviewed by the Medical Education Development Unit(MEDU), “We now have the student-centered, problem -based,community-oriented, electives and systematic(SPICCES) curriculum. This curriculum which is in line with global best practice has impacted positively on the quality of medical and dental students, the college is now training. We are proud to have students who can compete with their counterparts globally,” he said.

Oke said that sustaining the standard of medical education and biomedical research in the college requires that existing infrastructure be maintained and new ones acquired, “Prof. Dosekun during his tenure as provost initiated quite a few development projects.

“I appeal to Lagos State government to help us evacuate wastes and widening the drainage on Ishaga and Ojerinde roads towards Ilasamaja. This will save us from the incessant flood which regularly hinders our activities, particularly when it rains,” he said.

Chairman Organising Committee, Prof. OsaretinEbuehi described Dosekun as an exceptional man who worked tirelessly for the growth and development of this great college.

Ebuehi, Deputy Provost of CMUL said that he was referred to as the Doyen of Physiology and one of the founding fathers of medical education in Nigeria.

“He displayed exceptional and robust leadership and commitment that cannot be equated with no others in the history of the college,” he said.

Vanguard News Nigeria

The post We need to prioritise our environment more than health facilities, says Fashola appeared first on Vanguard News.