JAPA: Health Crisis Rocks Lagos State as Gov’t Launches Initiative to Expand Medical Education

• The NMA has expressed concerns over the government’s strategy to address the healthcare crisis in Lagos State, particularly the decision to repurpose medical facilities into academic institutions rather than investing in specialized healthcare services.
• Dr. Babajide Saheed, highlighted the scale of the problem, stating that doctors are leaving Nigeria at an alarming rate.
• Abayomi outlined the state’s goal to boost student admissions in medicine and allied fields from 200 to 2,500 annually over the next five years

Lagos State is facing a severe shortage of medical professionals, with only 8,200 doctors available to serve its population of over 20 million – a figure far below the estimated 30,000 needed.

Eko Hot Blog gathered that the crisis has been attributed to the ongoing mass migration of healthcare workers, often referred to as the “Japa syndrome.”

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Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Chairman, Dr. Babajide Saheed, highlighted the scale of the problem, stating that doctors are leaving Nigeria at an alarming rate. “Nobody can give an exact figure because the number is always fluctuating,” he said.

The exodus of medical personnel has placed immense strain on the state’s healthcare infrastructure, resulting in extended wait times, overstretched hospitals, and a decline in service delivery

Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, has acknowledged the severe shortage of healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other allied health workers, in the state.

In response to this crisis, the Lagos State Government has launched an initiative to expand medical education and increase the number of trained professionals.

Speaking at the handover of key medical infrastructure to contractors for conversion into modern academic facilities, Abayomi outlined the state’s goal to boost student admissions in medicine and allied fields from 200 to 2,500 annually over the next five years.

“The expansion is part of a broader strategy approved by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to mitigate the crisis,” he explained. “Our goal is to train more healthcare professionals to bridge the gap.”

The NMA has expressed concerns over the government’s strategy to address the healthcare crisis in Lagos State, particularly the decision to repurpose medical facilities into academic institutions rather than investing in specialized healthcare services.

Dr. Saheed criticized the move, saying, “Instead of reducing medical tourism, we are making it worse by converting renal and cardiac centres into offices. These facilities should be upgraded, not downgraded.”

The shortage of medical professionals in Lagos State is a reflection of a larger national healthcare crisis that has been unfolding over the past decade.

Thousands of Nigerian doctors have migrated to countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States, driven by the search for better working conditions, career growth, and higher pay.

Health sector analysts caution that urgent measures must be taken to retain healthcare workers and prevent the crisis from worsening.

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These measures may include improved salaries, enhanced working conditions, and incentives to encourage professionals to remain in Nigeria and contribute to the improvement of the healthcare system.

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