Health
Lagos rallies police to strengthen security at healthcare facilities
By Ayoola Babalola
The Lagos State Police Command and the Lagos State Health Service Commission have begun discussions on strengthening security at healthcare facilities across the state, as part of efforts to protect medical personnel, patients and public health infrastructure.
The move followed a meeting between the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Tijani Fatai, and the Chairman of the Lagos State Health Service Commission, Oguntimehin Olukayode, who led a delegation of the commission on a courtesy visit to the command headquarters in Ikeja.
The discussions centred on police support for healthcare facilities, security and improving service delivery across Lagos, according to a statement issued by the command’s spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, on Saturday.
While the police did not disclose specific hospitals or security incidents that prompted the engagement, the meeting places the protection of healthcare facilities within the broader inter-agency security responsibilities of the Lagos Government.
Public hospitals and other healthcare facilities require security arrangements that protect patients and workers while allowing medical personnel to operate without disruption.
For Lagos, where a large and densely populated urban population places sustained pressure on health infrastructure, breakdowns in security can have consequences beyond individual facilities.
Fatai, who received the commission’s delegation, said stronger cooperation between the two institutions was necessary to improve public service delivery and protect residents.
He thanked the delegation for the visit and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to sustained inter-agency collaboration.
The police commissioner said effective partnerships between state institutions remained essential to “improving public service delivery and enhancing the safety and well-being of residents of Lagos State.”
The health commission delegation included its chairman, Oguntimehin; Olusegun Ogboye, Omolaja Odunuga, Moyosore Adejumo and Ololade Fadipe.
The engagement provides a platform for the health and security authorities to coordinate their responsibilities around hospitals and other healthcare facilities, with the stated objective of ensuring that security concerns do not undermine the delivery of healthcare services across Lagos.
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