The Lagos State chapter of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) has expressed concern over what it described as the worsening shortage of healthcare workers, inadequate medical equipment and persistent scarcity of quality drugs across public health facilities in the state.
The opposition party said the situation had continued to place enormous pressure on the state’s healthcare system despite Lagos being Nigeria’s commercial hub and one of Africa’s largest economies.
In a statement signed by its State Publicity Secretary, Ayodele Kazeem, the APM alleged that the number of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory scientists and other healthcare professionals in the employment of the Lagos State Government was inadequate to meet the needs of the state’s growing population.
According to the party, the shortage of medical personnel, coupled with obsolete medical equipment and irregular supplies of essential medicines in many government hospitals, has contributed to overcrowded health facilities, prolonged waiting times, delayed treatment, burnout among health workers and declining quality of healthcare services.
The party further argued that the current doctor-to-patient ratio in Lagos falls below the standard recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), stressing that the situation has undermined effective healthcare delivery across the state.
Describing healthcare as a fundamental responsibility of government, the APM accused the Lagos State Government of failing to adequately address the challenges confronting the health sector despite the state’s substantial financial resources.
The party called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to declare the situation a public emergency and immediately commence the recruitment of doctors, nurses and other allied health professionals to fill existing vacancies in public hospitals.
It also advocated improved remuneration and welfare packages for healthcare workers to stem the migration of professionals to other states and foreign countries, as well as increased investment in medical education, residency training and scholarship programmes.
The APM further urged the state government to upgrade healthcare infrastructure through the provision of modern diagnostic and treatment equipment, ensure the regular supply of quality and affordable essential drugs across government hospitals and primary healthcare centres, and establish a comprehensive healthcare workforce retention strategy.
The party also recommended stronger public-private partnerships to improve healthcare delivery, bridge manpower gaps and facilitate access to modern medical technologies, alongside periodic manpower audits and assessments of medical equipment and drug supplies to keep pace with the state’s rapidly expanding population.
“Lagos cannot continue to pride itself as a mega city while its healthcare system remains overstretched, under-resourced and unable to meet the health needs of millions of residents,” the statement said.
The APM maintained that sustainable reforms in the health sector would not only improve access to quality healthcare but also enhance productivity and the overall well-being of Lagos residents.
