The Guild of Medical Directors, GMD, don raise alarm over weak infection prevention and control systems for healthcare facilities across Lagos. The Guild say assessment of 415 health facilities show say 48.8 per cent of them get inadequate systems to prevent infections.

Medical experts warn say when hospitals no get proper infection control, e fit make hospitals become places where diseases dey spread instead of where patients dey receive protection. Dem say this kind weakness fit increase healthcare-associated infections, antibiotic resistance and spread of dangerous diseases.

Speaking at the GMD Scientific Conference and Annual General Meeting for Lagos, Dr Olayemi Daudu say infection prevention no suppose be responsibility of one department alone. According to her, na healthcare leadership suppose make am a standard part of everyday patient care.

She reveal say although private facilities perform better than public facilities during the assessment, none of the 415 facilities reach the advanced level under the World Health Organisation Infection Prevention and Control Assessment Framework.

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Daudu therefore propose a 90-day infection prevention plan for hospitals under the Guild. The plan include regular facility assessments and audits, better hand hygiene, stronger laboratory connections, monitoring of infections after surgery, antibiotic-resistance tracking and proper preparation for disease outbreaks.

Another expert, Dr Adefolarin Opawoye, warn say private hospitals especially need to prepare well because dem often dey among the first places where patients with infectious diseases go seek treatment. He say facilities must know how to identify suspected cases early, isolate them and quickly alert the appropriate authorities.

He identify diseases like Ebola, mpox, COVID-19, cholera, diphtheria and Lassa fever, alongside antimicrobial resistance, as threats wey healthcare facilities must continue to prepare for.

Opawoye summarise the basic emergency response as “Screen, Isolate, Notify and Transfer.” He also stress say hospitals no suppose wait for laboratory confirmation before taking necessary precautions when doctors strongly suspect a dangerous infectious disease.

The Chairman of the GMD Lagos Chapter, Dr Omoniyi Fagbemi, say the Guild also dey push members to improve healthcare quality, with Care Level Three expected to become the minimum standard after a period of grace.

For another presentation, Dr Ayobami Kuyoro tell medical directors say building a hospital that can survive beyond one individual na important part of good leadership. She urge healthcare organisations to put proper systems, succession plans, financial discipline, technology and data-driven decisions in place.

Her message be say hospital growth no enough if the organisation cannot function effectively without the medical director.