Indigent children get N70m for surgeries in Lagos
Indigent children in Lagos State are to benefit from a N70 million endowment fund for paediatric surgical operations, following a partnership between the Office of the First Lady and the
Indigent children in Lagos State are to benefit from a N70 million endowment fund for paediatric surgical operations, following a partnership between the Office of the First Lady and the Orunsii Welfare Foundation.
The initiative, unveiled recently at the First Lady’s Banquet Hall, Alausa, Ikeja, is targeted at easing the burden of out-of-pocket medical expenses for vulnerable families while improving access to life-saving surgical care across 14 government health facilities.
The selected hospitals are General Hospital Gbagada, General Hospital Alimosho, General Hospital Lagos, General Hospital Badagry, General Hospital Orile-Agege, General Hospital Surulere, General Hospital Ikorodu, General Hospital Ifako-Ijaiye, General Hospital Isolo, General Hospital Ijede, Orchid Road Eti-Osa, General Hospital Somolu, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital and National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi.
Wife of the governor, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu said the project was borne out of a desire to cushion the impact of out-of-pocket expenses for indigent residents.
She noted that they had to adopt the new strategy of investment as it provided a more sustainable option of medical financing.
This is the second in the series of paediatric surgical support that the Foundation has offered to hospitals in Lagos State, in collaboration with the Office of the First Lady of Lagos State. In 2025, General Hospital Lagos, General Hospital Surulere, and Alimosho General Hospital benefited from the pilot scheme.
Dr Sanwo-Olu explained that the fund is part of donations for her 59th birthday in January, when N180 million was generated.
While N70 million was earmarked for the Paediatric Surgical Support, the remaining funds would be used for other projects being undertaken by the Foundation, including mental health, environmental health awareness, and elderly support.
She noted that aside from the endowment fund, each select hospital will also be getting N1 million each.
Some of the beneficiary hospitals expressed appreciation for the gesture and promised to use the funds judiciously.
According to the Programme Manager of the Foundation, Dr. Olumide Sojinrin, paediatric surgery faces numerous challenges in the country, including limited access to specialised care, inadequate infrastructure and resources, and financial constraints among families.
He added that many children in need of surgical intervention lack access to proper healthcare facilities, leading to delayed or inadequate treatment for conditions ranging from congenital anomalies to trauma-related injuries.
Also, the high cost of surgery and associated medical expenses often place a significant burden on families, further exacerbating the issue. Hence the need for the foundation to address these challenges and improve easy access paediatric surgery.
“Through our support for pediatric surgical cases, we aim to provide financial assistance to families in need, ensuring that children receive timely and appropriate medical care.
“By partnering with healthcare providers and leveraging a network of volunteers, we facilitate access to quality surgical services, ultimately saving lives and improving health outcomes for children across the country,” he noted.
