Lagos launches initiative to improve service delivery

The Lagos State Government has launched an initiative, Service Charter Initiative with the aim of improving health care services in the state.

Medical Director, Alimosho General Hospital, Igando, Dr. Adebajo Madewa, said the initiative was expanded to Alimosho, Epe and Gbagada General Hospitals, noting that has increased the numbers of Chartered General Hospitals in the State to seventeen.

Madewa spoke at the launch/ award ceremony in Alausa.

He said the initiative was designed by the State Government to encourage continuous improvement in service delivery by promoting transparency, accountability and responsiveness.

According to him, prior to the official launch of the Service Charter in Alimosho, the Hospital was certified by the Ministry of Health to have met all requisite pre-conditions and also received commendations from patients who seek medical attention from the hospital as a result of noticeable improvement in the hospital’s services.

He said that Service Charter made it possible for the hospital to reduce the waiting time for its patients to about 20 to 30 minutes, adding that it also decentralize some of its services, including the Laboratory and Registry Services to attend to more patients simultaneously.

“When the Service Charter was first introduced to this hospital, we conducted a situational analysis where we were able to discover that there was need for the hospital to provide the staff with what would make their services more efficient and effective before we can expect them to deliver quality services to the citizenry and we achieved this through training, recruitment of more personnel and procurement of more medical facilities and tools”

“Some other improvements that the Service Charter brought to our hospital is that it has greatly assisted in reducing waiting time drastically. The Electrocardiography, ECG initially done two times in week is now done on a daily basis, our X-Ray now operates optimally, and Laboratory tests are now carried out on weekdays and weekends among others” he said.

He advised the Service Charter should not lose focus, saying that medical staffs should be trained more on medical knowledge to deliver prompt medical care while members of the public especially those at the grassroots should be enlightened more to pay adequate attention to their health and not allow their situations to degenerate before seeking for medical assistance .

The Service Delivery Director, Alimosho General Hospital, Dr. Rafiat Piponsuhu, said the launch complements the desire of the State Government for qualitative and affordable healthcare services for Lagosians regardless of where they live or who they are.

She added that one key area that Service Charter addresses is in fast-tracking quick medical attention, stressing that importance of timeliness in healthcare delivery cannot be over-emphasized.

“The initiative has made our staff to be more patient-centered, their attitude to patients has changed greatly and patients are now well-informed about their rights.” She added.

The Complaint Management Officer of the Hospital, Pharmacist Ajayi Abimbola, disclosed that before the introduction of service charter to the hospital, members of the public are always reluctant in accessing health services from Alimosho General Hospital, adding that the situation had since changed with the reorientation of staff on attitudinal change.

She added that the staffs were admonished to always put themselves in the shoes of patients who seek medical services from the hospital and treat them the same way they would love to be treated.

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