For a tertiary health institution that transformed from a mere general hospital in 2001, the Lagos State University teaching Hospital has done very well for itself and the citizens of Lagos. It has proven to be a formidable alternative to the federal tertiary institution in Lagos which had hitherto had the monopoly of being the only tertiary health institution in the state.
In the year 2024, for example, the hospital attended to total of 22,950 emergency cases. This is an average of 63 emergency cases a day. This is roughly two or three emergency cases every hour! This number should ordinarily overwhelm any health system especially in the era of acute shortage of doctors and nurses but LASUTH had continued to stand robustly to offer excellent care to all emergencies that come.
LASUTH has a complement of about 500 resident doctors, 240 medical consultants in different subspecialties and almost 1000 nurses serving an 800-bed hospital. In the stark reality of ‘japa’ syndrome these numbers appear magical. The secret lies in the very conducive work environment provided by the hospital management as well as the magnanimity of Mr. Governor Babajide Sanwoolu who had maintained the tradition of the exit replacement scheme. This ensures that vacant positions are automatically filled on a quarterly basis.
Mortality is not unusual in any hospital more so a tertiary hospital. This is simply because a lot of patients in the course of their sojourns in the referring health institutions would have suffered extreme complications and eventually brought in extremis. The mandate of a teaching hospital is to put all available resources to use in saving lives. A lot of times this is achieved but in some cases the patients eventually succumb. Teaching hospitals are not in the business of swinging miracles.
The advanced clinical services available in LASUTH include:
i) Weekly open-heart surgeries
This is an area where the hospital deserves flowers. In the 23 years, LASUTH had performed several open-heart surgeries and had redeemed lives. A lot of patients who would normally have been under the burden of looking for hospitals abroad, usually at great expense to have their surgeries have found succour in the LASUTH open heart surgery programme.
We have recently commenced the Free Open-Heart Surgery programme for 30 indigent patients sponsored by Mr. Governor, Babajide Sanwoolu.
ii) Regular kidney transplants.
iii) Ultramodern renal dialysis suite
iv) Cardiac catheterization laboratory
v) Laser lithotripsy machine
vi) Assisted Reproduction Service (IVF)
vii) Diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy.
viii) Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
ix) Microvascular surgery
x) Cochlear implants
xi) Endoscopic 3rd Ventriculostomy
xii) Bronchoscopy
LASUTH is in the business of filling healthcare workers gap at the middle level. In the past two years it has established six training programmes.
a) Anaesthetic Technology
b) Orthopaedic Cast Technology
c) Echocardiography
d) Advanced Neonatal Studies
e) Caregiver Academy
f) Postgraduate Diploma in Hospital Management and Administration.
In the next few weeks accreditation of the Nephrology Nursing programme as well as the Paramedics Training Course will take place.
LASUTH is the second tertiary institution in Nigeria to obtain full accreditation to start Department of Emergency Medicine. Clearly there is a dearth of acute care physicians in the country leading to avoidable mortalities in emergency units and intensive care units. The establishment of this specialty in the National Postgraduate Medical College was a bold step to address this urgent need. LASUTH now has a full-fledged Department of Emergency Medicine and about eight resident doctors are currently in various stages of training.
LASUTH landscape has undergone tremendous transformation in the last four years or so. The government of Mr. Babajide Sanwoolu had invested significantly in infrastructural development like
1. Ongoing construction of a 10 storey, 40 flats, resident doctors quarters.
2. Upgrade of the ENT Clinic to an ultramodern edifice
3. Renovation of the Burns Ward.
4. Remodeling of the old Critical Care Unit to the Special Services Centre comprising the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, Bronchospy Suite, Endoscopy Suite and Renal Dialysis Suite.
5. Upgrade of the House Officers Quarters to an ultramodern edifice.
6. Construction of an ultra-modern Ambulance Bay.
LASUTH has been particularly blessed with benefactors and partners in progress. In the last few years, the hospital had enjoyed significant patronage for infrastructural development by organizations like:
1. Office of Sustainable Development Goals
2. Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG)
3. Rotary Club of Ikeja GRA
4. Rotary Club of Maryland
5. Lions Club of Ilupeju
6. Messrs. PZ PLC
OFFICE OF SDGs
a. Completed a 120-bed multipurpose building which houses general wards, private wards, executive suites, super executive suites, private dental clinic, PPP operating theatre, 10 bed Intensive Care Unit, High Dependency Unit (HDU), Dietetics unit, Accelerated Consultation Clinic, Seminar Rooms, Family Medicine Department and Immunization Clinic.
b. Completed a magnificent Paediatric Sickle Centre. A one stop-shop for the management of children suffering from sickle cell disease. The building also houses the refurbished ultramodern Male Medical Ward B.
c. Ongoing construction of a block of 6No presidential suites with all luxury amenities.
d. About to start construction/upgrade of the existing Dental Centre to a four storey edifice.
e. About to start upgrade of the existing Stroke Ward to a three storey edifice.
REDEEMED CHRISTIAN CHURCH OF GOD (RCCG)
Ongoing construction of a four storey Paediatric Oncology Building.
ROTARY CLUB OF IKEJA GRA
Completed the construction of 28 bed patients’ attendants’ quarters. Already in use.
ROTARY CLUB OF MARYLAND
Completed construction of a modern Hospital Waste Holding
MESSRS. PZ NIG PLC
Upgrade of the bungalow housing the Diabetes/Rheumatology Clinic by adding an extra floor.
LIONS CLUB OF ILUPEJU
Completed construction of a one storey Diabetes/Rheumatology Clinic Annex.
PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS (PPP)
With the full realization that there is no government with limitless funds to carry out all that needs to be done in all the spheres of governance like health, education, agriculture, infrastructure etc. the propriety of public private partnerships had long been established universally.
LASUTH had not been left out in this best practice approach. There are currently 10 PPP arrangements within the hospital.
BT DIAGNOSTICS
Provides comprehensive radio diagnostic and laboratory services.
TOS FUNERALS
Provides ultramodern mortuary services.
VITALSCOPE DIAGNOSTIC
Provides audiometry, tympanometry, hearing assessment and video laryngoscopy services.
UPPER AND LOWER GI ENDOSCOPY
Flexible GI gastroscopy and colonoscopy.
Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography ERCP
LAYO JAT NIG LTD.
Ancillary laboratory services in haematology, chemistry and microbiology. Majorly to service the managed care patients.
MESSRS. DARLEZ NIG LTD
Blood screening services.
L'PACEMAKER PHARMACEUTICALS
Provision of chemotherapeutic drugs for the Oncology Unit.
DELMAR MEDIPROS NIG LTD.
Sale of essential drugs in the hospital.
MAYO HEIGHTS
Histopathology, cytopathology and immunochemistry services.
MEDCOURT SUPPORT SERVICES
Provides mini ambulance services to transport patients within the hospital.
ACCESS OPHTHALMICS LTD
Provides facilities for an optical dispensing unit through the sale of optical frames and lens.
MESSRS BALOSH
Operates a fee for parking scheme in the hospital.
CONCLUSION
The mandate of providing affordable and accessible advanced tertiary care is clearly being fulfilled by the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital Ikeja. With the unhindered support from Mr. Governor, Babajide Sanwoolu, a lot of accomplishments were made. We have also been exceptionally fortunate to have benefactors and partners who had joined hands with us in assuring rapid infrastructural development.
We are still not completely where we want to be but clearly our trajectory points to the fact that, at the rate we are going we will get there sooner than we think.
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