Oguntolu street gate of the hospital, being permanently closed due to the defectiveness of the hospital
A human rights group, Human Rights Monitoring Agenda (HURMA), has lamented the deplorable state of General Hospital, Lagos, saying that the facility is not conducive for treating sick people.
To the end, HURMA’s Executive Director, Comrade Olaitan Isiak Buna, has called on concerned authority to take drastic steps in ameliorating the situation, in saving the residents of the community for untimely and unwarranted death occasioned by the poor state of the facility.
Comrade Buna made the appeal after meeting with the management of the hospital, on how to give facelift to the facility failed.
The HURMA’s Executive Director also lamented that steps taken by his group in rescue the hospital from total disrepair, which he said was truncated by the management of the hospital, despite several meetings that took place his group and the hospital management.
Comrade Buna said: “when we heard about the deplorable state of the hospital, we wrote an official letter to the management of the hospital, informing them of our intention to build a block of four rooms, to address the challenge of little or no admission of patients facing in the facility, due to the dilapidated main building, the letter was submitted to the hospital’s management of February 5, 2018.
“The letter was acknowledged as a kind gesture, and our office was invited for inspection and commencement of the project, having identified a place for the “laudable project” according to the hospital letter dated February 23, 2018, and we immediately moved into action and the offer of participation open to members and non members.
“We saw the gesture by the hospital’s management as promising and encouraging. But to our greatest surprise, on Monday, March 5, after we had arranged some blocks and other building materials, which were donated by members of the public, to the site of construction of the building, and , only to be denied access into the facility, by the same hospital that had earlier granted permission. Our people were not allowed to move the materials into the hospital, but we later arranged somewhere out the gate.
“Moreso, after submission of all required documents by the management, we still are not allowed to commence the proposed building of Ward by our office to rescue the existing situation.
Speaking on the next action to be taken if the hospital’s situation is not given urgent attention, Comrade Buna said: ” from report reaching us, by the residents of Shomolu community, it is clear that people are frustrated by their neglect and actions of playing politics with people’s life by the state government.
“We therefore cannot hold people back any longer from hitting the street with a protest, which is likely to take place soon.
Following the development, HURMA called on Lagos state government and other concerned agency and department to come to their rescue of Somolu residents, by putting the hospital a proper facelift.
Responding to HURMA’s allegations, the hospital’s Administrator, Mr. Solomon Soyebo, in a telephone conversion, confirmed that after the hospital management had with the group on the project but later told them to hold on and be patient till when they will be called upon.
Soyebo who say did not know how long the group should hold on for, said the hospital management had issued them a letter to that effect.
“It is true the group came and said they want to build some structure, and we earlier agreed that they should go ahead with it.
“But later, we told them to hold on and be patient with us. Though, I do not know how long it will take but we have given them letter to that effect”.