Lagos Faces Shortage of 30,000 Doctors and 40,000 Nurses

Lagos State is experiencing a critical shortage of healthcare professionals, with a deficit of 30,000 medical doctors and 40,000 nurses, as stated by Professor Akin Abayomi, the state commissioner for health. During a press briefing held on Tuesday at Alausa, Ikeja, Abayomi noted that the state requires 40,000 medical doctors to adequately serve its growing population, which currently stands at approximately 7,000 doctors.

This leaves a significant shortfall of 33,000 physicians. The briefing was part of the activities marking the seventh anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu's administration.

Abayomi also mentioned that despite improvements in reducing malaria prevalence in the state over the past 15 years, malaria remains a major public health threat due to the sheer size of Lagos's population. He emphasized the need for policy reforms to improve diagnostic systems and curb unnecessary use of antimalarial drugs, aiming to reduce antimicrobial resistance in medical practices.