The Lagos
State Government on Friday said comprehensive plans are currently being firmed
up to generally address prevalence of drug abuse under the mental hea
lth policy
in the State, revealing that a law to that effect has already been updated.
The Federal
Government had on Tuesday directed the National Agency for Food, Drug
Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to stop further issuance of permits for the
importation of Codeine as active pharmaceutical ingredient for cough
preparations with immediate effect in response to the gross abuse of Codeine
usage in the country.
Speaking at
the annual Ministerial Press Briefing to mark the third anniversary of Governor
Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in
Alausa, Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris said before and after the ban
was announced, the State Government had been engaging with key stakeholders,
adding that it was important for serious attention to be concentrated on mental
health issue and affiliated matters.
Responding
to a question on what the State Government was doing in that regard, Idris
said: “On the issue of Codeine, that is very interesting and the question is
how are we as, a Ministry, ensuring the compliance by manufacturers. I must
tell you that the Drug Control Unit in the Ministry is very active. We are also
operating in conjunction with NAFDAC. The ban principally is a NAFDAC
initiative but as a State Government we did not wait; we are more proactive and
ever since this issue came into light, the Ministry has been engaging and very
soon, we will come out with a more comprehensive programme.
“This is
because we would not look at Codeine alone; we are going to look at it under
drug abuse. Codeine is just one substance out of many that are being abused. It
also goes to show you the extent of the mental health situation in our country
and that is why like we said something ago that we are putting more emphasis
now on mental health. It is a serious issue; it is one area of the health
sector that people generally do not even address and that is why as a State
Government we are being proactive.
“In line
with this, we have updated our own mental health law as against what is
happening at the federal level; we have a mental health policy and we are
currently now implementing our mental health programme to cover all tiers –
primary, secondary and tertiary health care systems. This is a comprehensive
thing and there is no doubt about the fact that there is a major mental health
problem in our country and this Codeine is just a tip of the iceberg,” the
Commissioner said.
Speaking on
activities of the State Government in health sector in the last one year, Idris
said it was gratifying to report that the Lagos State University Teaching
Hospital (LASUTH) successful performed its first open-heart surgery on a
32-year-old patient solely by indigenous cardiac surgery team, as well as
fourth successful cochlear implant and kidney transplant surgeries, while
LASUTH in conjunction with Rotary International and Alliance for Smile
successfully carried out surgeries for six patients with cleft lip palate
deformity
He said a
total of 61 Primary Health Care Centres (PHCs) were either constructed or
upgraded and furnished with medical equipment within the period under review, while
38 others are ongoing, in addition to approval given by the Governor for 1,000
health workers to be recruited for the PHC system.
Apart from
new access road and gate constructed in LASUTH, the Commissioner said the Child
Care Centre otherwise known as Ayinke House in LASUTH would be commissioned in
June this year by the Governor, while the phased installation of CCTV with a
monitoring room to enhance security of lives and property in the hospital in
about 36 strategic areas was currently being done.
He said
major rehabilitation works were also carried out in Epe General Hospital,
General Hospital, Lagos; Onikan Health Centre, Randle General Hospital,
Surulere; Accident and Emergency Centre, Toll Gate; Agbowa General Hospital,
Ijede Health Centre; completed School of Nursing Hostel, Igando; procured 30
automated external defibrillator for Lagos State Ambulance Services, as well as
procured N2billion worth of equipment for health workers.
The
Commissioner said as a follow-up to the successful containment of Ebola
outbreak, the State Government in collaboration with Global Partnership
Programme, Canada was in the process of establishing a Bio-Containment and
Bio-Safety Laboratory within the premises of the Lagos Mainland Hospital, Yaba
to facilitate prompt diagnose of diseases of public health importance, while
the Health Insurance Scheme of the State Government would commence in 2018.
“On health
insurance, we are doing everything to ensure that the scheme is successful.
Already, we have given formal letters of award to selected seven health
insurance agents. So far, 179 private and 68 public primary care facilities,
and 27 General Hospital including LASUTH have satisfied the minimum required
standards for the scheme. An additional 42 public PHCs will be added.
“The one per
cent of the consolidated revenue earmarked by law as approved by the House of
Assembly as equity has been budgeted for in 2018 appropriation. This scheme
will commence this year; I am very sure of that,” Idris said.
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