The capacity of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration to handle emergencies, accidents, and health challenges was displayed on Thursday as the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja responded promptly in saving the lives of victims of the train accident in Lagos State.
It would be recalled that Lagos State Government Staff Bus with Number 33, carrying civil servants and their dependants from Isolo to Alausa had a head-on collision with a commercial train at PWD Bus-Stop, along Agege Motor Road, in the State.
The accident occurred around at 7:30 am when the Lagos State Government staff bus was about to cross the rail track and during the process, it collided with a commercial train at the location. Many of the civil servants and their dependants on the bus sustained varying degrees of injuries.
The victims of the train accident were rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) and they were promptly attended to by the medical personnel who created a triage, emergency tents within the hospital to attend urgently to those involved in the accident.
The prompt attention and urgent intervention of LASUTH staff who were joined by the students and staff of the College of Medicine of Lagos State University, 79 people out of 85 passengers on the bus were revived and treated for different injuries to stabilize them. They are currently receiving treatment at LASUTH and other government-owned hospitals in the State.
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who arrived LASUTH few hours after the accident to see the injured staff of the State Government, expressed his sadness over the unfortunate incident and sympathised with the victims.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, who was accompanied by his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola and members of the State Executive Council, visited all the victims of accidents at the emergency tents created by the LUTH and also visited those transferred to different wards for further treatment and surgical operations.
The Governor said the investigation is ongoing on the accident. He disclosed that the driver of the bus is currently in the custody of the Police.
Speaking to journalists shortly after visiting the injured at LASUTH, Governor Sanwo-Olu disclosed that 85 people were involved in the accident out of which 42 had moderate injuries, 29 serious injuries and eight with mild injuries.
He said six fatalities was recorded. Two deaths recorded at the scene of the accident while four people died at ICU and during surgical operations.
The Governor also disclosed that 25 out of the 83 people brought to LASUTH had been treated very quickly and transferred to the Gbagada General Hospital, Agege General House and Toll Gate Trauma Centre, all in Lagos State for further treatments.
Governor Sanwo-Olu commended the LUTH staff and other medical practitioners for their prompt response in saving lives. He also praised the Lagos State Emergency Response Team and all Lagos residents who were involved in a rescue operation at the accident scene.
He said: “What you saw out there is a world class medical system where emergency of this nature can be handled. The tent was set up to quickly determine what level of injuries were sustained by the passengers. Some have been sent to surgery and some are in ICU. Some have gone for an X-ray while some are been treated in the ward for further observation.
“I want to thank the entire staff of LASUTH both medical, and non-medical, and students of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital and the College of Medicine of the Lagos State University. I am very impressed with the level of commitment and the level of solidarity that has been displayed throughout this place today for immediately responding to the call of duty and from the report of what I have seen I need to thank them very much.
” I want to thank all of the personnel, especially Lagos State staff who also turned up very quickly to identify with their staff to be able to give them counsel, and encouragement and to be able to say to them that all will be well. They will be treated and will get back safely.”
Governor Sanwo-Olu also encouraged members of the public who want to donate blood to come forth and donate blood to restock the LASUTH blood bank.
The Governor also commended the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Mr. Olajide Adediran and the Labour Party candidate, Mr. Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, for visiting the victims, noting that Lagos has the capacity to tackle emergency.
“I want to thank them and commend them for their show of commitment. Beyond politics, the victims of the accident are human beings and public servants so I want to thank them for coming here. I want to also encourage all other public-spirited Lagosians to join us in this very difficult moments,” Governor Sanwo-Olu said.
Also, the wife of Nigeria’s President-Elect, Senator Oluremi Tinubu and the First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu on Friday visited victims of Thursday’s Train accident involving a staff bus of the State Government at the various health facilities where they are being treated.
Tinubu and Sanwo-Olu were accompanied by the Wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Oluremi Hamzat, and other senior officials of the state government, where they empathized with the victims and assessed their ongoing treatment at the health facilities.
The hospitals visited include the General Hospital, Gbagada; Lagos State Accident and Emergency Centre, Toll Gate; and the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja.
They went on a ward round and got a first-hand briefing on the train crash and efforts to save lives.
Whilst commiserating with the patients at the Lagos State Accident and Emergency Center, Senator Tinubu came across a 23-year-old man, Osita Anazi from Ebonyi State, who was involved in an auto accident and required surgery as a result of pains arising from clinical right femoral fracture.
Senator Tinubu keenly enquired about his condition and out of compassion pleaded with the young man, who didn’t have the financial means for the surgery, to stay back in Lagos, assuring that his treatment would be sorted.
According to her, “Lagos accommodates all citizens and prioritizes the welfare and well-being of all Nigerians.”
Besides, Tinubu and Sanwo-Olu commiserated with the families that lost their loved ones, describing the accident as unfortunate and deeply painful.
Speaking in an interview at LASUTH, Senator Tinubu urged drivers to be more careful and work to avoid situations that can result in the loss of precious lives in the future.
“From our assessment of the situation, we can see that the patients are in good hands; they are stabilized. We are not God but we are saddened by what has happened.
“We hope that the drivers are more careful to avoid this in the future. We commiserate with the families that lost their loved ones and wish those who are here speedy recovery,” Senator Tinubu said.
She also commended the State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and the State Government for taking care of the medical bills of all the patients, just as she presented various gift items to the victims to aid and fast-track their recovery process
