Health
A Lagos lawmaker, Mr Bisi Yusuff, has promised improved healthcare services to his constituents in the three Local Council Development Areas of Alimosho Constituency I in Lagos State.
Yusuff, a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, made the pledge in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos.
The lawmaker explained that he was motivated to take care of health of the less privileged with various illness during his birthday celebration.
He said that the 2020 edition of the annual healthcare programme, entitled: “The Prince of Hope Turns To Reality Foundation” was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Yusuff said the programme was for the less privileged people in his constituency who could not access good health, and those that could not afford the cost of treatment in the hospital.
The lawmaker, however, promised that the event would be bigger in the subsequent years, for many people to benefit from the health programme.
Yusuff also thanked God Almighty, whom he said had provided the opportunity for his existence, saying that without Him there was no way he would be alive to assist them.
“I have to recognise what God has done for me. He has given me good health, and I have to thank Him for that.
“My birthday has always been celebrated to give healthcare service to my people and remove difficulty, and health challenges from them.
“It gives me joy that there is no single day that you will not see two, three or four people that have benefitted from my healthcare programme, praying vehemently for me and my family.
“It gives me energy and inspires me to do more. You don’t need to be a politician or anybody to do this. Your impact on the people is very important.
“The quantum of money you have in the banks is useless if you don’t use it to help the people. I have been able to see what would be my legacy,” he said.
Yusuff said the free health mission of the foundation used to feature surgery for hernia, ganglion, lumpectomy, keloid, free eye screening and provision of eye glasses.
According to him, others are the HIV and STD Screening/Hepatitis B screening, Blood Pressure test/malaria screening/pulse count, among others.
Yusuff said he decided to embark on the project eight years ago to cater for the less privileged people in his constituency who do not have good health and could not afford the cost of treatment in the hospital.
The lawmaker appealed to government at all levels to overhaul the nation’s healthcare system so the country won’t be caught unaware in the event of another serious health challenges.
He noted that every well-meaning Nigerians, would have realised the need for governments to prioritise the health of people and investments in the health sector had become glaring with the challenge of COVID-19.
The lawmaker urged government at all levels to focus more on the healthcare sector by prioritising their budget on health.
“Based on what has happened, you will know that the Coronavirus pandemic has given us a very important reason to re-examine our healthcare sector, because our health system was nothing to write home about.
“Thank God for the kind of governor that God has given us in Lagos State; you can only know a personality by the situation, which defines the person you are. He has been very proactive.
“The whole world would not believe that Lagos State could still be like this after the pandemic.
“We also give kudos to the State Assembly led by the Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, as the House had enacted some laws that gave the governor the opportunity to operate freely.
“In the beginning of the pandemic, we appropriate N20 billion to fight COVID-19, which was a huge amount and the money was used judiciously to reduce the pandemic,” he said.
Yusuff urged Sanwo-Olu to convert the crucial isolation centres in the state into comprehensive healthcare outfits after the COVID-19 pandemic.
The lawmaker explained that this would further increase the numbers of healthcare facilities in the state.
Yusuff noted that the speaker and other lawmakers in the state assembly had boost the health sector with a lot of funds in the 2020’s budget. (NAN)
– Sept. 28, 2020 @ 15:55 GMT |
Tags: Lagos lawmaker pledges improved healthcare service to constituency
