Relief From Road Accident

In deep thought, just after Ibafo on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, wondering how the orientation camp would be and my family and friends I would miss, suddenly the driver brakes and there is a loud noise followed by a scream. Looking up, an accident had occurred and the bus I was in missed it by hair breath. Thankful to God for it, I watched as casualties were pulled from the wreck. All wondered if they would get a hospital and survive it.
This was years back, now we don’t have to wonder, the Lagos State government recently commissioned the accident and emergency centre on Lagos-Ibadan expressway on the 14th of May 2010, although it commenced operations on April 1, 2010.

According to the medical director, LSAEC (Lagos State Accident and Emergency Centre), Dr. Olawale Adegbite said that the centre was strategically located on the highway to offer stabilization and first aid treatment to victims. He also said that the centre also undertakes minor surgeries and laboratory services among others.

He said since the centre commenced activities, it had handled about 157 accidents victims out of which 116 are males and 41 females. Dr. Adegbite stated that, “worldwide, trauma is the leading cause of death. He said most of the accidents were through motorcycles and vehicles.
According to Ngozi Uzoamaka who had an accident while travelling to Shagamu, Ogun State, she was seriously injured and fell into coma, said if not for a good Samaritan, who took her to the newly-built LSAEC at the toll gate, she would have died. She is better now and has been discharged.
Also speaking , the head of Biomedical Engineering of Deux projects Limited (the company that handled the construction of the company) Mr. Rashidi Ali said that the centre was of international standard and was equipped with X-ray equipment, laboratory services, health management information system, minor surgeries and provision of Plaster of Paris cast. He said the centre could handle all truma-related cases resulting from auto accidents or other form of accidents.
Before its commission, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris while on inspection tour of the facility, explained that the center, which is basically meant for accidents victims, would provide them with first class basic emergency health care before being taken to the hospitals.
He also stated that, before the centre was commissioned, in the first month of operations, 94 patients were treated, with 70% of the victims in the age groups of between 20 and 45years; 74% were from either motor traffic accident or motorcycle accidents.

Idris noted that government’s decision to construct the Center was informed by the alarming statistics of accident victim along our major highways adding that construction works are currently on-going along the highways of Lekki-Epe Expressway and Lagos-Badagry Expressway of similar Trauma/Accident and Emergency Center.
He explained that the Centers consists of a reception, wards, treatment room and operating theater among others and would help to reduce the response time and distance usually involved from the point the ambulance services takes the accident victims to the hospital.
Dr Idris said that the state government is attacking the issue of accident emergency frontally and holistically particularly in the areas of infrastructure development which the construction of the three Centers represented; the increased access of accident victims to prompt and adequate health care; capacity building of the medical personnel involved in emergency team in basic emergency medical care; and the increase in the fleet of the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS).
Training on Pre-hospital and Hospital Emergency Care is provided continuously by 6 internationally accredited trainers. Lagos State has the best and only internationally certified public Emergency Training Centre in the country headed by Allan Medcraft. So far over 2,500 doctors, nurses, paramedics and drivers of the Lagos State ministry of health and LGAs including staff of other agencies such as LAMATA, LASTMA, LASEMA, Neighbour hood watch and Civil Defence have been trained. Also advanced training has been given in disaster management to various other agencies of government including the road traffic managers, fire service and police.

In February 2008, the Lagos State Government procured 10 Mobile Intensive Care Units. These MICUs are an upgrade to the emergency vehicles in the LASAMBUS fleet. Each vehicle is equipped with state of the art emergency resuscitation and monitoring equipment which allows for resuscitation of a casualty at site and treatment while in transit to the emergency centre. The Lagos Sate Government has assigned 2 helicopters for rescue operations.
The state has also procured 1 Mobile Field Hospital. The facilities include the core operating room with critical care ward for 23 patients. In addition there are 5 additional shelters providing admission for 30 patients. The hospital is supported by laboratory services, hospital grade water and power. This base will ensure that immediate care is provided at the disaster site and that patients are stabilized before they are transferred to a major hospital for further care. This has been deployed in several Health Missions in the State since it’s commissioning. Also it was used to save over 50 lives when a stampede occurred during the U17WC in November 2009.
During the commissioning of the centre, Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola stated that accident and emergency centre must be a regular feature on every highway in every part of the country.

The Governor who acknowledged that a lot effort is being made at various levels of government; federal, state and local government to improve safety on roads, prevent accidents and increase the awareness of road users on road safety, noted that all these preventive measures on their own cannot solve the problem hence the building of such accident and emergency centers.

He said, “this (the building of the center) is the only way we can demonstrate capacity when emergencies happen that there is a government that is willing, ready and able to change and save lives. Preventive strategies alone, on their own, will not save lives. They will help a lot, they are most important, they are most welcome but on their own they will not save lives.”
Fashola pointed out that the location of the centre along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway is strategic for many reasons as the old toll gate is the eye of state’s transport gateway to other part of the country adding that the facility with its staff compliment will bring medical attention closer to the highway road traffic accident victims thereby saving their lives.
The Governor who recalled how the centre was conceived said that he was a witness to an accident that occurred on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway and the ambulances available at the scene of the accident were not enough to take all the victims hence his convoy had to convey some of the victims adding the following Monday at the state Executive Council meeting members were unanimous in their approval of the proposal that the Center should be built.
“We are not here to dedicate a building or a hospital; we are here to demonstrate our resolve to lead change and to take step to correct things that we do not accept. This building, the Lagos State Accident and Emergency Centre and its strategic location are symbols of that our resolve. I cannot but commend members of the state emergency teams; Rapid Respond Squad (RRS), Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) and Lagos State Emergency Management team for all their efforts in responding to emergency situations,” Governor Fashola said.
In view of all this, the citizens of Lagos State must ensure they pay their tax, so that we call all enjoy more amenities….
Eko o ni baje o…

Good move by LASG.