Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has disclosed that the state requires about 40,000 additional doctors and 40,000 more nurses to adequately meet the healthcare needs of its growing population.
The governor also estimated a minimum funding gap of N100 billion in the state’s health sector, citing inadequate resources and declining international donor support as major challenges.
Sanwo-Olu made the disclosures on Thursday while speaking at the opening of the second Eko Health Convention at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
He identified shortages of medical personnel and insufficient funding as the two major challenges confronting healthcare delivery in the state.
“Lagos needs about 40,000 doctors to properly serve its population, but we currently have about 7,000. We also require approximately 40,000 more nurses. That means every doctor presently practising in Lagos is effectively doing the work of about 10 doctors,” he said.
On funding, Sanwo-Olu said there was a significant gap between existing budgetary allocations and the resources required to meet the state’s healthcare needs.
“There is a minimum shortfall of N100 billion between what our health budget currently provides and what the system actually requires,” he said.
He added that donor funding, which had supported several disease-control programmes for almost two decades, was declining significantly and might not return at previous levels.
Despite the challenges, the governor said his administration had begun addressing the manpower shortage through large-scale recruitment, improved welfare packages and plans to establish a University of Medicine and Health Sciences.
He disclosed that recruitment had recently commenced across all 29 secondary healthcare facilities in the state, while accommodation and improved working conditions were being provided to retain existing personnel and attract healthcare professionals in the diaspora.
1.5m Residents Enrolled in Ilera Eko
Sanwo-Olu also announced that 1,502,994 Lagos residents had enrolled in the state’s health insurance scheme, Ilera Eko, as of the end of May.
He said the implementation of the mandatory social health insurance policy, following the domestication of the National Health Insurance Authority Act, had significantly expanded access to affordable healthcare.
According to the governor, women account for more than half of the scheme’s beneficiaries.
He noted that increased utilisation of healthcare services under Ilera Eko showed that residents were actively accessing medical care rather than merely registering for the scheme.
Sanwo-Olu also highlighted the impact of the Lagos State Health Management Agency’s Assistance in Distress (AID) programme, saying it had saved 18 lives since its launch in March.
The programme has supported victims of road crashes, surgical emergencies, obstetric complications and stroke by ensuring immediate access to treatment regardless of their ability to pay.
The governor further disclosed that the state was deploying technology through the Lagos Smart Health Information Platform, which is being rolled out across public health institutions.
He said the digital system would enable medical records to be accessed seamlessly across facilities, strengthen disease surveillance and improve evidence-based healthcare planning.
Sanwo-Olu added that Lagos was also investing in artificial intelligence and other digital innovations to enhance diagnosis, medical imaging and overall healthcare delivery.
Reaffirming his administration’s long-term vision, the governor said initiatives such as Ilera Eko, the health district system and the digital health platform were designed to remain functional beyond his tenure.
“We have kept our promises. Now we are building systems that will continue to serve the people long after we have left office,” he said.
