President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday unveiled the newly reconstructed Institute of Maternal And Child Health popularly known as Ayinke House located within the premises of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital in Ikeja, describing it as a critical and timely intervention by the State Government in the health sector.
Ayinke House, which is Nigeria’s biggest Maternity Hospital, was upgraded from an 80-bed facility to a 170-bed healthcare centre with state-of-the-art medical equipment, as well as information technology services.
Aside the entourage of the President which included Ministers and Special Advisers, Governors of Ogun (Ibikunle Amosu ), Oyo (Abiola Ajimobi), Ondo (Oluwarotimi Akeredolu), Ekiti (Kayode Fayemi), Jubrila Bindow, Adamawa, Acting Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu; Lagos State Governor-Elect, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat; Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, among others were in attendance.
The President, who landed at the Presidential Wing of Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja at 10: 45am, arrived at Ayinke House about 15 minutes later, after which he unveiled the project, and also embarked on a comprehensive tour of the facility.
Speaking at the event, the State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, described the development as historic, expressing optimism that the facility would provide world-class childbirth and maternal care services to Lagosians and Nigerians at large.
Recalling how the journey began, Governor Ambode said the facility was commissioned exactly 29 years ago, with the late businessman and philanthropist, Sir Mobolaji Bank-Anthony donating the first dedicated maternal and child care facility to the State Government, in memory of his mother; hence the christened name “Ayinke House”.
He said the hospital, which started with just one surgical theatre soon assumed a life of its own as first-class childbirth and maternal care centre in the health sector of Nigeria as well as the first choice for expectant mothers.
However, the Governor said the hospital later became over-stretched beyond capacity and somehow obsolete, while in recognition of the need to sustain Bank-Anthony’s philanthropy, the State Government, during the administration of former Governor Babatunde Fashola who is now the Minister of Power, Works, and Housing, awarded the contract for the expansion and reconstruction of the facility.
“Today, seven years after the closure of the facility, the new edifice is now a 170-bed facility with 5 surgical theatres. It has a 16-bed emergency care unit with 3 organ support facilities, 30-bed special baby care unit, 5 neonatal intensive care units, a fully equipped laboratory with support services, laboratories, and a blood bank.
