Lagos needs 30,000 medical practitioners, commissioner begs new doctors

Shortage of manpower is posing more distress to the health sector in Nigeria, Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi has said, noting that Lagos particularly is affected by the trend with a deficit of 30,000 medical professionals

Amidst a growing population of over 20 million people, Abayomi said Lagos is constrained by the increasing dearth of doctors in the country as the trend of health professionals fleeing for greener pastures abroad bites harder on the country.

The health commissioner stated this on Thursday at the Lagos State University College of Medicine induction ceremony for its 18th set of graduating medical doctors and 8th set of graduating dental surgeons.

Abayomi said the massive relocation of doctors abroad for greener pastures has imposed a negative effect on the health sector in terms of availability of manpower, thereby appealing to the inductees to specialise in various fields and contribute to improving the health sector in Nigeria.

“We have to start something and start from this graduation. There is a shortage of about 30,000 medical professionals in Lagos.

“I know many of you would like to ‘japa’ (seek greener pastures abroad). We have a lot of Nigerians in the diaspora. You have the freedom of choice to ‘Japa’ out of Nigeria, but what we would like to see is a set of professionals that have the opportunity to ‘Japa’ and still have an impact on the ground.

“And even better, those of you who choose to go abroad to expand your capabilities, you can make a deliberate decision to come back to Nigeria,” he said

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