Lagos State Government (LASG) has unveiled a floating clinic boat to provide inland waterways medical emergency and riverine communities medical outreach services.
LASG unveiled the boat on Wednesday, under the auspices of the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr Olusegun Ogboye
In his address, he explained that the floating clinic is part of the state government’s goal to enable more participation in the delivery of qualitative and efficient health care services on the waterways and riverine communities across Lagos.
According to the permanent secretary, the floating clinic boat has four medical observation beds, a medium sterilization unit, and an o2 bottle, gauge, infusion stand, foldable stretcher and fully kitted first aid box.
The idea behind the Floating Clinic, he said, was to help offer first aid, medical emergency care and basic healthcare services at accident scenes on the inland waterways and riverine communities in Lagos State.
In his word: “This is a strong partnership between LASWA and the Ministry of Health. LASWA has provided the boat, the crew and the gas to run the boat, and the Ministry of Health will provide the human resources and medical consumables for health care provision.
“It is part of a plan that has been initiated by Mr Governor to ensure that emergency services in Lagos are ramped up and we can respond very quickly to emergencies.
“This is the beginning of the initiative. There is an intention to expand, scale-up and integrate our ambulance services; our ambulance boats, mobile intensive care units and transport ambulances.
“It is something that we have planned that is certainly why we are starting with one boat and we are going to expand. It is a sustainable idea, we already run ambulance services, we are only expanding to include the waterways and we have the human resources to run it,”.