AVON Medical, an Heirs Holdings company, has launched an ultra-modern hospital facility in Surulere Lagos, to make world-class healthcare accessible and affordable for all.
The 50-bed medical facility, including a Dialysis Centre was inaugurated by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos.
The journey of AVON Medical began in 2009 with a focus on the problems such as overburdened public hospitals. Lack of modern equipment, medical professionals being stretched to their limits and too many people frustrated and being unable to get medical help in time, according to the Chairperson of AVON Medical, Dr. Awele Elumelu.
“We could not look away, so we decided to do something about it. That single decision to step in gave birth to Avon Medical and our health insurance company, Avon HMO,” Dr Elumelu said at the launch ceremony.
“The first, to provide excellent healthcare services, and the other to ensure that people could actually afford them. That combination was deliberate as it was our way of ensuring we were not only building facilities, but we were also creating access to them.”
The intervention by AVON Medical is imperative as Africa carries over 20% of the global disease burden yet has access to only 1% of healthcare resources.
Approximately 48% of Africans lack access to the quality healthcare they need, with only about 3% of global health workers serving the continent.
In Nigeria alone, the gap in the number of available and qualified doctors, beds, and equipment reflects a system under pressure. The African healthcare system is also the hardest hit by the migration crisis.
“What you see here today is a reflection of our philosophy—Africapitalism, the belief that the private sector has a major role to play in our continent’s development. The belief that we have a responsibility, not just to generate profit but most importantly, to create a lasting impact, to do well and do good,” Dr Elumelu said.
AVON Medical’s new facility will help more women receive the maternal care they need to safely bring life into the world.
It means more children will get timely diagnosis, life-saving treatments, and a better shot at long, healthier lives. It means more families will have access to quality and affordable healthcare services that they deserve.
“We were able to achieve this feat because we have passionate teams across Avon Medical, and the wider Heirs Holdings Group,” Dr Elumelu said.
Babajide Sanwo-Olu Governor, Lagos State who also spoke at the Official Launch of the Avon Medical Ultramodern Facility, said Avon Medical has put their name in the sand of time in this industry, not only in Lagos, but in Nigeria building a 50-bed, full diagnostics, obstetrics and gynae, full paediatrics, neonatal and the rest of it, in one location.
Sanwo-Olu added that it means that there are several levels of specialties that have been brought together by AVON Medical.
“If you’re in the health sector, you must be in it for a very long time. But more importantly, you must have the conscience and the sense of purpose to say that I want to indeed help my citizens, help my people, help our society to have a better health outcome at the end of the day,” Governor Sanwo-Olu said.
“I feel truly proud of what Avon Medical has done, what you’ve been doing in the past 16 years.”
Also present at the ceremony is Group Chairman of Heirs Holdings, Mr. Tony Elumelu, CFR, the Federal Minister of Health and Lagos State Commissioner of Health.
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