Lagos State Government has launched a floating clinic boat for inland waterways medical emergency and riverine communities medical outreach services.
The boat was unveiled on Wednesday, by the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr Olusegun Ogboye in Lagos.
According to him, the floating clinic is part of the government’s efforts to increase access to prompt, qualitative and efficient health care services on the waterways and riverine communities across Lagos.
It is equipped with four medical observation beds, a medium sterilization unit, and an o2 bottle, gauge, infusion stand, foldable stretcher and fully kitted first aid box.
Ogboye explained that the idea behind the Floating Clinic was 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.
He said: “The Floating Clinic is mainly to deal with emergencies on the waterways and provide outreach services to riverine communities.
“This is part of the initiative 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.
“Also, this is an example of a partnership between different agencies of government; the boat belongs to LASWA but will be operated by the Ministry of Health”
Meanwhile, Ogboye disclosed that the Floating Clinic will be deployed for the ongoing integrated measles and COVID vaccination campaign in riverine communities and waterways across Lagos State.
In his words: “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”.
A minimum of two medical personnel will be on board the Floating Clinic at any one time who will run shifts adding that citizens in riverine communities can have access to the Floating clinic by dialling the Lagos State Emergency numbers.
“Once you contact the emergency numbers the clinic will be deployed. LASWA can also deploy the clinic during an emergency response on the waterways. If there is a call about an emergency on the waterways, remote and riverine areas, the emergency process will be activated”, he said.
