Lagos State is facing a severe shortage of medical doctors, with a deficit of 30,000 needed to adequately serve its population, according to Prof. Akin Abayomi, Lagos State Commissioner for Health. Speaking at the 2024 Clean-Air Forum in Lagos, Abayomi highlighted that this shortage has significantly overstretched the available medical personnel. The commissioner attributed the deficiency primarily to brain drain.
The ongoing forum, themed “Advancing Collaborations and Multi-regional Partnerships for Clean Air Actions in African Cities,” was organized by the University of Lagos, AirQo, Makerere University in Uganda, and supported by the Lagos government. The event aims to raise public awareness about air quality and pollution’s impact on health.
Abayomi emphasized the negative effects of air pollution on the health sector and underscored the importance of inter-agency collaborations to address this issue. He noted that Lagos’s rapid population growth, at a rate of six to eight percent annually, exacerbates challenges in the health sector. The state is particularly focused on tackling its complex tuberculosis index and other health concerns linked to environmental pollution.
The commissioner assured that the Lagos government is committed to improving air quality and reducing the prevalence of air-borne and water-borne diseases. He also acknowledged the public concern over the shortage of bed spaces in health centers and detailed ongoing efforts to construct modern facilities and establish a medical research institution to bridge the service gap within the next 18 months.