Lagos State Government has launched a floating clinic boat for swift medical interventions along inland waterways and riverine communities in the state.

Unveiling the boat after inspection on Wednesday, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, said the innovation was introduced to help provide first aid, medical emergency care and basic healthcare services at accident scenes on the inland waterways and riverine communities in Lagos State.

Ogboye said: “This is part of initiatives by the Ministry of Health to ensure that we extend our medical and ambulance service to the waterways, remote riverine communities and areas that can only be accessed by water.

“This is also an example of partnership between different agencies of government; the boat actually belongs to LASWA but will be operated by the Ministry of Health.”

He added that the clinic boat would be deployed for the ongoing integrated measles and COVID-19 vaccination campaign in riverine communities across Lagos State, noting that it was a plan initiated by the Sanwo-Olu-led administration to ensure that emergency services in Lagos are ramped up to improve response time.

The Permanent Secretary said there was a deliberate focus to expand ambulance services such as 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,” Ogboye added.

He stated that residents of riverine communities can access the services of the floating clinic through the Lagos State Emergency Services numbers, saying: “Once you contact the emergency numbers, the clinic will be deployed.

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“LASWA can also deploy the clinic during emergency responses on the waterways. If there is a call about an emergency on the waterways, remote and riverine areas, the emergency process will be activated.”

On his part, the General Manager of Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Mr. Damilola Emmanuel, stated that the initiative will further integrate emergency and rescue systems being put in place by the agency for commuter safety in riverine communities.

Also speaking at the event, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Health, Dr. Oreoluwa Finnih, said one of the core tasks of the Floating Clinic Boat was medical outreach services to riverine communities for providing primary healthcare services including immunisation, disease prevention and health promotion to citizens.

“Most people have the impression that Lagos is a completely urban city but for us, we realise that Lagos has a lot of communities along the waterways, which are not necessarily connected to the city.

“Mr. Governor, recognising this, directed that medical services be taken to these areas as part of the mandate to achieve universal health coverage. When this initiative was brought to his attention, this was one of the factors that led to the quick acquisition of the boat to bridge the identified gap in health access,” Finnih stated.

The Floating Clinic Boat is equipped with four medical observation beds, a medium sterilisation unit, an oxygen bottle, gauge, infusion stand, foldable stretcher, and first aid box.

The Star