Abuja — No fewer than 11,000 people resident in five local government areas of Lagos State have benefited from the free ambulance boat services, designed to improve healthcare services in rural areas, the state commissioner for health, Dr Jide Idris has said.

Speaking while rectifying the report of the rural health programme, the commissioner said the state government established the rural health programme in 2002 to improve on primary healthcare services to "These deprived areas especially the riverine areas of the state".

He also pointed out that the programme was designed to detect asymptomatic and undiagnosed cases of non communicable diseases like hypertension and diabetes as well as treat minor ailments in addition to free distribution of drugs to beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola has disclosed plans by his administration to build more children's hospitals as well as encourage private concerns to do more in aid of the less privileged and orphanages in the state.

He stated this at the weekend during the commissioning of the Michael Egunjobi Children's Home as part of activities marking his 46th birthday, saying he was particularly happy that the commissioned facility has come to fulfill his long yearning for more of such in Lagos State.