Residents of the Bayeku community in Ikorodu, Lagos State have expressed deep concern about the deplorable state of the Bayeku Primary Healthcare Centre, urging swift action to rectify the situation. The facility, which is meant to provide vital medical services such as immunization, maternity care, child care, and outpatient services, has been found to be inadequate and in disrepair.

According to reports, the healthcare center's building is in a dilapidated condition, with a leaky roof. The premises are overrun with overgrown weeds, lacking a proper gate and featuring a broken perimeter fence. Despite its critical services, the facility consists of only two rooms—one for deliveries and another small room for patient examinations.

A local resident named Rachael Fadare highlighted the center's insufficiency in accommodating the daily influx of patients. Fadare noted that the staff presence was inadequate and suggested that expanding the infrastructure, as well as increasing staff numbers, would help address the issue. She also emphasized the importance of improving the facility's environment, which is currently overgrown with bushes and potentially harboring reptiles.

Fadare also expressed concerns about the facility's operating hours, indicating that it closes at 2pm and is not equipped to handle emergencies effectively. Another resident who chose to remain anonymous shared that the facility's operational challenges have led many residents to seek care from private hospitals instead.

Mrs. Patrick, another resident, revealed that the cumbersome process of obtaining care at the healthcare center led her to opt for a private hospital for her second childbirth. The center reportedly provides a long list of required items, causing inconvenience for patients seeking care.

A confidential source disclosed that the healthcare center is currently being managed by only one nurse who attends to nursing and pregnant mothers. This source estimated that around 80 women receive care daily, with higher numbers on Wednesdays when children under five years old are attended to.

In response to the concerns raised, the Permanent Secretary of Lagos State Health District II, Dr. Dayo Lajide, pledged to collaborate with the local government chairman and the Director of Environmental Services to address the challenges plaguing the healthcare center. Dr. Lajide acknowledged the need for additional staff and assured that efforts would be made to increase personnel rotation between the Bayeku Primary Healthcare Centre and another nearby facility that operates 24 hours.

Regarding the structural issues like the broken perimeter fence and building maintenance, Dr. Lajide acknowledged that these are part of larger capital projects that may take time to address. However, she assured that immediate steps would be taken to clear the overgrown environment around the facility.

Naijamatta is a social networking site,

download Naijamatta from Google play store or visit www.naijamatta.com to register. You can post, comment, do voice and video call, join and open group, go live etc. Join Naijamatta family, the Green app.