Lagos State government has commissioned two Advanced Smart Modular High Dependency Units (ASMOHDU) at Ifako-Ijaiye and Mushin General Hospitals.
At the unveiling of the ASMOHDUs held at the General Hospital, Ifako-Ijaiye, the special adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr Kemi Ogunyemi, recounted Lagos’ remarkable journey toward establishing modern HDUs, noting that a decade ago, none existed within the state’s public health system.
“When I joined the health family ten years ago, there was no HDU. The first was established at Gbagada, and that initiative came from the First Lady at the time,” she said.
She stressed that the concept of HDUs emerged in response to the state’s maternal and child mortality indices.
“The T.H.E.M.E.S+ Agenda emphasises access, affordability, and quality, three pillars that define our mission. These HDUs represent that vision in action: ensuring every Lagosian has access to timely, life-saving care,” she affirmed.
Ogunyemi drew a vivid picture of the realities many women face during childbirth, highlighting the emotional and physical toll of maternal complications.
“Imagine a woman who comes into the hospital full of hope and joy, only for something to go wrong. These tragedies are preventable, and HDUs give us the capacity to respond fast, stabilise patients, and save lives,” she explained.
She added that the Smart Modular HDU model integrates technology with human care, saying, “It’s not just a room filled with machines; it’s a smart, responsive environment where every second counts. Mr Governor’s vision is about one thing. Saving lives, whether of mothers, newborns, or accident victims.”
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr Olusegun Ogboye, revealed that the commissioning of these units fulfilled a personal and institutional vision born several years ago.
