The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, has disclosed a severe shortage of medical practitioners in the state’s healthcare system.
Speaking on Wednesday, July 10, at the ongoing 2024 Clean-Air Forum in Lagos, Abayomi revealed that the state is short of 30,000 medical professionals needed to meet its healthcare demands. This deficit has led to an overworked and overstretched workforce struggling to manage the doctor-to-patient ratio.
“The dearth of medical doctors in Lagos has overstretched the available officials, making it challenging to bridge the gap in the available doctor-to-patient ratio. Brain drain has significantly contributed to this personnel deficit,” the commissioner stated.
Abayomi emphasized the urgency of inter-agency collaborations to address the crisis, highlighting the state’s need for more medical professionals to cater to its rapidly growing population.
“Lagos’ annual population growth rate of 6-8% poses significant challenges, including a complex tuberculosis index, which we are actively working to address,” he said.
The commissioner also stressed the importance of improving air quality and reducing environmental pollution, calling for collaborative efforts from various agencies.
“We will continue to support every effort to improve air quality, reduce airborne and waterborne diseases, and enhance the health and well-being of residents,” he assured.
Addressing concerns about the shortage of bed spaces in state health centres, Abayomi said: “We are working to address this issue by constructing modern facilities and establishing a medical research institution, which will bridge the gap within 18 months and provide improved services to the public.”