Lagos: Stakeholders in the health sector on Wednesday urged collective efforts to tackle recurrent issues of bed scarcity and the complex referral system experienced in Lagos and Nigerian hospitals. They made the call at a Scientific Conference organized by the Medical Guild in Lagos.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the conference was tagged: ‘The No Bed Conundrum and Safe Referral: Exploring an Integrated and Effective Referral System in Lagos’. Speaking at the event, the Chairman of the occasion, Dr. Ibrahim Mustafa, highlighted that the shortage of hospital beds and the fragmented referral system reflect a systemic gap in coordination. Mustafa, who is the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Primary Healthcare Board, called for the implementation of an integrated referral system where doctors are aware of their tasks, adding that this will improve the condition of patients.
Dr. Mustafa emphasized the severe consequences of the current fragmented system, stating, ‘We have lost lives and most especially mothers because of this fragmented referral system which has contributed to high maternal mortality.’ He further stressed the need for a collective approach to address this interdisciplinary issue and urged the conference attendees to propose pragmatic solutions to the government.
Dr. Babayemi Osinaike, who delivered the keynote speech, underscored the importance of leveraging technology to improve services at primary health centers. He advocated for collaboration between state, federal, and private hospitals to reduce the bottlenecks in patient referrals. Osinaike also called for a statewide policy to promote telemedicine, allowing patients to consult doctors remotely, thus easing the pressure on hospitals.
He suggested that the state could create a platform for doctors to interface with hospitals and other medical professionals before patient referrals. Drawing parallels with developed countries, he noted that effective primary health centers in Lagos could function similarly to General Practitioners (GPs) in the U.S. or UK.
Prof. Adetokunbo Fabamwo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the guild and Chief Medical Director of LASUTH, called for synergy between public and private hospital doctors to address challenges around emergencies and referrals. He highlighted the increasing divide between private and public doctors and stressed the importance of unity in bridging these gaps.
The First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, represented by Dr. Omolara Agbaje, commended the conference as a sustainable platform for stakeholders to offer solutions to health sector challenges like bed shortage. She praised the guild for advancing the welfare of health professionals and encouraged them to maintain ethical standards.
Earlier, Dr. Moruf Abdulsalam, Chairman of the guild, acknowledged the stark realities of bed scarcity and referral complexities impacting patient care. He emphasized the conference as a collective effort to tackle these issues through technology, policy reforms, and inter-institutional partnerships.