The Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA) and the management of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) have committed to promoting the rights, health, and overall wellbeing of persons with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus in Lagos State.
LASODA and LASUTH gave their commitments during different advocacy visits conducted by the Festus Fajemilo Foundation (FFF) and Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Association in Nigeria (SBHAN) in commemoration of the World Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Day (WSBHD) 2022.
FFF and SBHAN team members conducted the advocacy visits to raise awareness and understanding about Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (SBH) and to advocate for the rights of persons living with SBH.
At LASUTH, the aim of the visit was to advocate for the provision of comprehensive continence management care for children with SBH while at LASODA, it was to advocate for the inclusion of SBH as a recognized disability cluster.
Dr. Olatunde Odusote, Consultant Pediatrician & Ag. Director of Clinical services at LASUTH who represented the Chief Medical Director said the management of LASUTH will continue to provide continence management care for persons with SBH.
Also, Mr. Akintunde Oguntoye, the Director, of Monitoring, and Evaluation at LASODA proposed that persons living with SBH can obtain temporary I.D cards from LASODA, while the request to onboard SBH as a separate disability cluster is being reviewed.
Mr. Afolabi Fajemilo, FFF’s ED and Mr Hassan Funmilayo, SBHAN’s Ag. President described the advocacy visits as “hope-assuring to our key demands of the implementation of continence management in LASUTH and the recognition of SBHAN clusters by LASODA.”