By New Telegraph,Yemi Olakitan
Copyright newtelegraphng
The Lagos State Government has unveiled plans to establish a dedicated medical university as part of its 2026 health priorities, in a bid to close the widening shortage of healthcare professionals in Nigeria’s commercial hub.
The Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, disclosed this at the 2026 Annual Operational Plan (AOP) top management committee meeting in Ikeja.
He said the Lagos State University of Medicine and Health Sciences, already cleared by the legislature, would serve as a hub for producing more doctors and allied health workers, while also creating avenues to retain talents and attract diaspora professionals back home.
“Lagos should never be a state where you complain of shortage of healthcare professionals,” Abayomi said, stressing that deliberate planning and strict alignment with the state budget were critical to delivering tangible health outcomes for residents.
He described the AOP as inseparable from the budgeting process, warning that any disconnect between the two would amount to “planning to fail.”
Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi, urged health leaders to embrace efficiency, collaboration, and digitalization in their approach.
According to her, Lagos’ size and complexity often place it ahead of national health policies rather than following them.
“Most times, the federal aligns with Lagos, not the other way round,” she said, noting that initiatives such as the Smart Health Information Platform (SHIP) and the HOPE agenda must remain central to ongoing reforms.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, cautioned against what he termed “lazy planning” and recycling of previous budgets.
He called for fewer but impactful projects, backed by evidence and sustainability, adding, “A plan is only useful when it translates into measurable outcomes.”
Development partners, including The Challenge Initiative (TCI) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), pledged continued collaboration.
TCI’s representative, Mrs Fanimokun Adesola, reaffirmed support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation-backed programme to strengthen health systems through deliberate and inclusive planning.
UNFPA’s Dr. Akinkunmi Akinbajo also commended Lagos’ coordination framework, which he said helps avoid duplication of donor interventions. He promised deeper collaboration in maternal health and family planning.
Anchored on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES+ agenda, the 2026 AOP will also prioritize mandatory health insurance, digitalization of services, and human capital development, further consolidating Lagos’ role as a national leader in health sector reforms.
