Lagos Hospitals See Surge in Patients Amid Worker Shortage

Lagos State's public hospitals have seen a dramatic rise in outpatient attendance, with numbers doubling over the past six months, as reported by the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi. He stated that hospitals are now seeing thousands of patients daily, which has placed immense pressure on healthcare professionals already strained by a shortage of workers due to brain drain.

Abayomi noted that the rising cost of healthcare is driving residents away from private facilities to public hospitals and informal healthcare providers. To address these challenges, Lagos State plans to enforce compulsory health insurance, having domesticated the National Health Insurance Authority Act through an executive order in July 2024.

This initiative aims to improve healthcare financing and alleviate pressure on government-funded facilities. Abayomi emphasized the need for public awareness regarding the health insurance scheme as the government restructures the system.