Politics
Briefing by Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development on Thursday in Ikeja
LAGOS State Government handled 9,659 medical welfare cases and spent more than N3.99 million on medications, surgeries, dialysis and other treatments for indigent and abandoned patients in the past one year.
The state Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mr Mobolaji Ogunlende, made this known on Thursday during the state’s 2026 Ministerial Press Briefing at Alausa, Ikeja.
The event was to commemorate the third year of the second term of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Ogunlende said the interventions were carried out through the ministry’s Medical Social Services Unit as part of efforts to strengthen healthcare support for vulnerable Lagos residents.
He said the unit had continued to provide welfare support and psychosocial interventions for indigent, traumatised, abandoned and vulnerable patients receiving treatment in government-owned hospitals.
According to him, 9,623 of the cases had been successfully resolved, while the others were being monitored for continued interventions and support.
He listed the forms of support to include trauma intervention, mental health referrals, indigent support, support for victims of abuse-related cases, and counselling and aftercare services for vulnerable patients.
The commissioner said the ministry, in collaboration with the Lagos State AIDS Control Agency, conducted HIV/AIDS counselling and testing services for 27,582 persons to improve public health awareness and encourage early detection.
He added that blood donor screening was facilitated for 2,317 persons during the period to support safe blood transfusion services in health institutions across the state.
According to Ogunlende, the ministry approved and facilitated spending of N3.99 million on medications, surgeries, dialysis, medical investigations and hospital consumables for patients unable to afford treatment costs.
“No vulnerable resident should be denied access to critical healthcare because of poverty, abandonment, trauma or social circumstances.
“The state government remains committed to protecting the dignity and wellbeing of vulnerable persons through sustained welfare and psychosocial interventions,” he said.
Ogunlende also said the ministry intensified mental health interventions through the Lagos State Employee Wellness Centre, which handled 900 mental health-related cases involving anxiety, depression, stress, grief, workplace conflict and substance abuse among public servants.
He said the centre had continued to provide counselling, psychosocial support, early intervention and referral services aimed at improving the emotional wellbeing and productivity of workers in the Lagos State Public Service.
The commissioner said the state government would continue to expand social welfare and medical support programmes to ensure that vulnerable residents would receive timely healthcare interventions and psychosocial support.(NAN)
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