NewStats: 3,263,706 , 8,181,101 topics. Date: Saturday, 07 June 2025 at 12:38 PM 27i3o

Lagos Health Sector Short 33,000 Doctors, Over 16,000 Have Migrated Overseas, Says Health Commissioner

Lagos State’s Health Commissioner has revealed that Lagos state currently has only 7,000 doctors, is short by 33,000. Lagos State Government said it needed at least 33,000 medical doctors to meet the shortfall created by the huge flight of medical personnel abroad.

To try to stem the tide the government had put necessary measures in place to address the shortfall. But it said over 16,000 doctors had left the country for greener pastures abroad. The Commissioner for Health Services, Prof. Akin Abayomi, disclosed this during a press briefing to commemorate the second year of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term in office at Alausa, Ikeja.

Abayomi said according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) standard, the doctor to patient ratio worldwide was 1:200. He, however, stated that with over 20 million population, Lagos currently had 7,000 doctors, saying, “We have a shortage of 33,000 doctors.”

He added that Nigeria as a whole had a shortage of 300,000 doctors, saying not less than 16,000 doctors have left the country in recent years. Despite these challenges, the commissioner stated that as a sub-national, Lagos was putting healthcare initiatives in place to tackle the gap.

With over 18,000 staff across primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities, Abayomi stated, “We are poised to tackle the challenges of healthcare in the state.” He said, “We are planning strategically to address brain drain and increase brain gain. We have improved flow of funds into health sector.”

Abayomi added, “We have turned the corner; we have been able to see reduction. We have seen diasporans coming to Lagos either permanently or coming and going. A lot of them are keying into our healthcare initiative. They have seen Lagos as the next frontier in meeting our target.”

The commissioner stated that going by the statistics given by the federal government, not less than 16,000 doctors left the shores of Nigeria in search of greener pastures.

He stressed that the state government was building climate resilient facilities, by taking into consideration the state’s unique topography. “Many parts of Lagos are densely populated so the facilities are heavily built with concrete and others are built on sandfill. So, when we build, we take all this into consideration.”

The commissioner also hinted that the largest cancer centre in West Africa was located in Alausa, saying it is a comprehensive and special health facility to take care of the cancer patients.

In addition, the state government, according to the commissioner, will in the next 12 months inaugurate three massive secondary hospitals at Ojo, Lagos Island and Ketu-Ejirin.

Speaking on malaria disease, he advised Lagosians to always go for a test whenever they had symptoms of fever, saying it is not every fever that is diagnosed as malaria.

He said, “In the next one or two years, we can say in Lagos that we have eliminated malaria. 99 cases of fever are not malaria, so people should carry out tests and get doctor’s prescription before buying drugs.”

https://www.arise.tv/lagos-health-sector-short-33000-doctors-over-16000-have-migrated-overseas-says-health-commissioner/

You don't blame healthcare workers for fleeing this nation for better offers abroad. JAPA have added to the many of the ills plaguing this nation.

"According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) standard, the doctor to patient ratio worldwide was 1:200.

-Not less than 16,000 doctors have left the country in recent years.

-Nigeria as a whole had a shortage of 300,000 doctors.

Terrible situation for a country

Make them employ me

A Nation cannot progress with departing brain power. China has curbed this long time ago.

Jesus Christ remains the only Way Truth and the Life.

Migrated Prof Abayomi?

Shouldn't titles of posts on Nairaland be at least grammatically correct? Enh, our Mods?

How many Nigerians dey go hospital sef. Thank God for HMO. If not our hospitals would have been like churches in Europe

When their pay has been reduced to peanuts..labour day and night and some patients won't allow them rest even in the middle of the night when they are off duty.

Racoon:
You don't blame healthcare workers for fleeing this nation for better offers abroad. JAPA have added to the many of the ills plaguing this nation.

Let them continue to criminal in and to power and expect a better society or citizenry.

Instead of declaring a state of emergency on the health sector in Nigeria.

Tinubu justs travels to for his won healthcare.

Senate should call the Minister of health and televise a public congressional hearing whats going on with the health sector ?

Is the minister of health Ali Pate Capable or should he be removed.

Start a doctors housing scheme.....30 years interest free mortgages, as long as you dont leave the country. (There are 1 million incentives the government can use to stem the tide of Doctors JAPA, but no one cares. The minister only cares about contracts to build physical structures and renovate. Because that's the easiest place to loot funds)

Its called Golden Handcuffs. Thats the same things they do to them abroad. They buy big houses and then they are trapped for the 30 years mortgage.

Nigerians are key players in health sectors worldwide.....why cant we get it right at home ?

Racoon:

https://www.arise.tv/lagos-health-sector-short-33000-doctors-over-16000-have-migrated-overseas-says-health-commissioner/

Simply the result of a failed country. A country where politicians who does nothing are living large but teachers and Doctors are suffering.. politicians who doesn't know left from right are living large. Give one example of a politician in Nigeria who is doing something, look at your Senate leader what is he doing? Nothing.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Worse is coming

westside365:



Simply the result of a failed country. A country where politicians who does nothing are living large but teachers and Doctors are suffering.. politicians who doesn't know left from right are living large. Give one example of a politician in Nigeria who is doing something, look at your Senate leader what is he doing? Nothing.

It's truly appalling.

Racoon:

https://www.arise.tv/lagos-health-sector-short-33000-doctors-over-16000-have-migrated-overseas-says-health-commissioner/

They are still slashing April salary of the remaining 7000 doctors

Infact, every doctor should japa

DrFunmisticGlow:
They are still slashing April salary of the remaining 7000 doctors

Infact, every doctor should japa

Demoralizing to say the least.

After all my call duty, emergency response, innovation, putting myself at risk.

Curse be to them.

The shortfall is much expected.

Innocent children that decided to study medicine, you want to kill them with stress, poor pay and lack of amenities to work. They should run o. Doctors, nurses, lawyers, pharmacists, engineers, ants, auditors...etc. Once you see road, run.

According to a former minister of labour, we have more than enough, so we should not mind exporting to nations who need na 😂😂😂

So what's the complaints about?

Aether:
According to a former minister of labour, we have more than enough, so we should not mond exporting to nations who need.

So what's the complaints about?

Does that ogogoro downing labourer of minister appear normal to you?

I just pity the masses.

pocohantas:
Innocent children that decided to study medicine, you want to kill them with stress, poor pay and lack of amenities to work. They should run o. Doctors, nurses, lawyers, pharmacist, engineers, ants, auditors...etc. Once you see road, run.

But majority of them enjoy subsidized school fees.

Subsidized school fees and they all left the country when the country need them most.

It's alright o

axglide:
A Nation cannot progress with departing brain power. China has curbed this long time ago.

Jesus Christ remains the only Way Truth and the Life.

china has over 15m of its people outside china

yomi007k:


Demoralizing to say the least.

After all my call duty, emergency response, innovation, putting myself at risk.

Curse be to them.

I am so pissed. All cadres from consultant to houseofficer are affected. No explanation was offered.

And u still under pay and have the infrastructure underdeveloped.

the major goal now in this country is dont fall ill no matter what happens no sick

Racoon:

https://www.arise.tv/lagos-health-sector-short-33000-doctors-over-16000-have-migrated-overseas-says-health-commissioner/

shut up and train more, we have the numbers

More will still go

UK, US n Canada are calling. Whatever you don't value...you lose it to others

We are sitting on a time bomb. We are seeing thr effects already. Visit government hospitals today and come for appointment in 3 weeks time you would hear that the doctor has japad.

The politicians don't care cos they easily fly abroad or their lives prioritized when they visit any hospital





- Jesus Christ is the only way to see God the Father

More are preparing to japa.

Specialists like Psychiatrists is even worse...less than 300 of them practicing in Nigeria for over 200 million people.

Protect your mental health....psychiatric bed is scarce.

Why won't it when you shortpaid all health workers for the month of April.

Goodluck to those sticking it out.
I wouldn't.
No apologies.

D issue is no profession is well paid in Nigeria, except you're an elected politician, or you're a techbro... Apart from that every other professional are being paid less...

Another issue I have is that dat, you pay someone 100k per month and you want d person to work 8-6 everyday that's wrong... If you know you'll be paying someone less reduce d working time, make d person go find another work body.....

Your mates can not be earning 5 million per month and u go dey earn 400k for naija na... Abeg if u see means relocate oh... If u r a tech bro earning big at home, stay back and invest...