First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has urged state governors and council chairmen to consider effective healthcare delivery as a right deserved by the people and not a privilege that should only be given to special citizens of the country.
Tinubu noted that the Federal Government under her husband’s watch considered the health and well-being of Nigerians as a priority, especially women and children, saying this is what the administration’s agenda, Renewed Hope, stands for.
The wife of the president stressed that the state and local governments should consider this as a major focal point of their administrations to ensure even development in the country.
She appealed for this on Wednesday while inaugurating the newly constructed 30-bed Oluremi Tinubu Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) centre built by the Ikoyi-Obalende Local Council Development Area (LCDA), in Dolphin Estate, Lagos state.
Tinubu, who was represented by the Wife of the Vice President, Nana Shettima, commended the transformation made by the council chairman, Fuad Atanda-Lawal, on the facility by the administration.
According to her, the new facility marks a significant milestone in the delivery of quality healthcare services to the community.
“I recall the former primary health care centre in 2019 when it was operating as a re-updated temporary facility. Therefore, I am pleased to witness its transformation, and I say well done,” she said.
This centre, she noted, stands as a testament to what responsive and people-centred governance truly entails, prioritising the health and future of our people through deliberate, impactful action.
“You have demonstrated impactful leadership, and I recall that the health care centre was well used during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“True progress begins when we treat health care not as a privilege but as a right of every citizen. This, therefore, is a beacon of hope for mothers, children, the elderly and the vulnerable groups in our society,” she stressed.
Earlier, the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, commended the Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA’s efforts to attract and retain top medical professionals by significantly increasing doctors’ salaries to ₦800,000 per month.
This initiative, he said, is part of a broader commitment to enhancing the quality of healthcare services within the LCDA and ensuring that residents have access to skilled and motivated healthcare personnel.
“The LCDA is set to attract and retain top medical talents by significantly increasing the doctor’s salary to 800,000 monthly, with effect from June 2025,” he said.
He emphasised that the renovation and upgrading of the health centre transformed it into a modern, well-supported primary health care facility that will provide accessible and quality health care to the residents of Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA.
The governor, who was represented by his wife, Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, asserted that the LCDA’s healthcare centre is already playing a pivotal role in providing affordable and accessible medical services to residents.
He disclosed that the centre is currently hosting a range of free health screening programmes, including cervical and breast cancer screenings, HIV testing and counselling, malaria diagnostics, and the distribution of free eyeglasses, initiatives described by the governor as “quick wins” for the community.
Sanwo-Olu urged residents to take full advantage of the health interventions, stressing that such opportunities should not be taken for granted.
According to him, these efforts reflect the administration’s dedication to building a healthier, more inclusive Lagos, where quality medical care is within reach for all.
“This is the LCDA at the moment that is offering these free screenings. In some places you have to pay, but in this LCDA, they are doing the testing free of charge”
“There is no doubt that the APC has consistently demonstrated visionary leadership in every sector of the state,” he stated.
The Chairman, Atanda-Lawal, emphasised that the Primary Health Care Centre was reimagined not merely as a medical facility, but as a cornerstone of access, equity, and community resilience.
“As a pillar of access, equity, and community resilience. We did not just upgrade a building, we created a modern, functional space that will serve the entire community”
From mothers seeking safe delivery, to children needing immunisation, to health professionals who deserve dignity in their work, and everyday people who simply want to live well, this is for you, this is for all of us,” he said.
“It is, however, important to state that none of this could have happened in isolation. This achievement was made possible in large part by the bold economic reforms of Mr. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, especially with the removal of the fuel subsidies and the strengthening of local government autonomy.
“These measures have empowered local governments like us to pursue more transformative projects with direct impact on our communities,” Lawal emphasized.
