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The Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Friday inaugurated a two-storey Paediatric Sickle Cell Centre sited in the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja.
The state-of-the-art medical facility was built to address the inadequacies and strengthen the Centre to cope with the volume of sickle cell cases daily attended to, government spokesperson, Gboyega Akosile said in a statement on X.
Before the commissioning of the building, the centre was housed in a cramped bungalow that struggled to provide sufficient space for admissions and as such lacked the necessary facilities to cater to the needs of adolescent sickle cell patients.
Speaking on the usefulness of the centre during its inauguration, Governor Sanwo-Olu noted it will enhance access to care for infant patients by providing more space for admissions, modern medical equipment for procedures, and testing capabilities to manage chronic conditions effectively.
He added that the centre will offer comprehensive care including early diagnosis, advanced treatment, and continuous management for children living with sickle cell disease.
The new facility is a donation from the office of the senior special assistant (SSA) to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) occupied by Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire.
Even more, he explained that it will serve as a centre for research and education, promoting a deeper understanding of the disease and ultimately contributing to the reduction of infant mortality rates.
According to him, LASUTH handles the largest number of sickle cell cases among healthcare facilities in the state where the disease is the leading cause of infant mortality, with a rising number of cases being reported.