Lagos needs 30,000 medical doctors – Commissioner

The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi, on Wednesday said the state health sector needs about 30,000 medical doctors to service residents’ needs.

Abayomi disclosed this at the ongoing 2024 Clean-Air Forum in Lagos.

The commissioner decried the negative effect of brain drain in the health sector, stating that the gap between the available doctor to patient ratio has been overstretched.

He emphasized the importance of getting more medical doctors to cater for the increasing need of medical services in the state.

He said, “Lagos annual population growth rate of six to eight per cent comes with huge challenges and the health sector is not an exception.

“Lagos because of its daily increasing population has a complex tuberculosis index and the state is making a whole lot of impact in this area to mitigate its spread.

“The promotion of air quality and the need to halt environmental pollution in the state is where the collaborative efforts of the agencies are needed.

“As a government, the state will continue to support every effort to sanitise the air in the city in order to reduce rate of air born, water diseases that bear negative on the health of the residents.’’

Speaking on the shortage of bed spaces in state health centres, Abayomi said the state would construct modern facilities in various areas and establish a medical research institution.

The commissioner noted that the development would bridge the doctor to patient gap within 18 months to give the public desired service.