Lagos State is grappling with a severe deficit of 30,000 doctors, alongside critical shortages in other healthcare professionals, including nurses, pharmacists, and laboratory scientists.
The alarming figure was revealed by the State’s Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, during the Lagos State 2024 Ministerial Press Briefing held on Wednesday.
Abayomi attributed the crisis partly to the “Japa syndrome,” where medical professionals have migrated abroad in search of better opportunities.
This shortage, according to Abayomi, has strained Lagos’ healthcare system, calling for urgent solutions to boost the number of trained healthcare workers.
In response to this, the Lagos State Government, under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s leadership, has launched an ambitious project to expand medical education infrastructure.
The plan includes the transformation of existing healthcare facilities into academic hubs for training more professionals in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and allied health sciences.
Abayomi shared that the aim is to scale up student admissions at the Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM) from 200 to 2,500 annually over the next five years.
This expansion will also include the development of 1,600 additional lecture seats and laboratory spaces, as well as new office facilities for instructors.
He emphasized that the initiative is designed to ensure quality training, with enough space for practical learning and accreditation from regulatory bodies such as the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).
“Training healthcare professionals is not just about lecture halls; it requires practical exposure in laboratories and patient care settings,” Abayomi stated.
The expansion plans aim to combat the human capital deficit and strengthen the healthcare system by equipping the state with an improved workforce of highly trained professionals.