The Lagos State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to expanding access to advanced cardiac care and protecting residents from catastrophic healthcare costs as beneficiaries of its Free Health Initiative shared their journeys from critical illness to recovery.
The Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said the success stories demonstrated the importance of combining government funding, specialist expertise, modern medical equipment and health insurance to provide life-saving treatment without impoverishing families.
Abayomi said Lagos was investing in local specialist capacity to reduce the need for residents to travel abroad for complex procedures. He also highlighted plans for specialised institutions, including the proposed Massey Children’s Specialist Referral Centre.
The Commissioner renewed the State’s call for mandatory health insurance, saying the recently issued executive order making health insurance compulsory would help protect families from the financial burden of serious illnesses.
Among the beneficiaries was 19-year-old Lydia Ogungbayi, who underwent a complex cardiac operation after suffering from constrictive pericarditis. The State provided ₦5 million towards her treatment, while additional resources were mobilised to support the surgery.
Another beneficiary, 16-year-old Moshood Muritala, underwent multiple procedures in India after being diagnosed with Transposition of the Great Arteries. Government and other well-meaning individuals also provided additional funding to support his treatment and return to Nigeria.
A three-year-old beneficiary, Ayoife George, also received cardiac surgery in India for a heart condition.
Cardiothoracic surgeon Prof. Bode Falase commended the Lagos State Government for supporting the development of advanced cardiac surgery locally and expressed satisfaction with Lydia’s recovery.
The State Government said its long-term goal is to ensure that complex procedures can increasingly be performed in Lagos while health insurance provides residents with greater financial protection.
