News

Lagos Needs 80,000 More Health Workers to Avert Crisis – Sanwo-Olu Raises Alarm

Published

2 months ago

August 7, 2026

Lagos declares Thursday work-free for 2026 Isese Day celebration

Lagos Needs 80,000 More Health Workers to Avert Crisis – Sanwo-Olu Raises Alarm

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has raised an urgent alarm over the state’s healthcare workforce crisis, revealing that Lagos requires approximately 40,000 additional doctors and another 40,000 nurses to adequately meet the healthcare needs of its rapidly growing population. The governor made this disclosure on Thursday at the opening of the second Eko Health Convention held at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos. According to Sanwo-Olu, Lagos currently has only about 7,000 doctors in its workforce, a figure far below what is required to serve the state’s population, and he painted a stark picture of the current situation, stating that every doctor practising in Lagos today is effectively doing the work of ten people.

Beyond the severe manpower shortage, the governor identified inadequate funding as the second major challenge confronting the state’s health sector, disclosing a funding gap of at least N100 billion between what the state’s health budget provides and what the system genuinely requires. Sanwo-Olu also warned that donor financing, which has supported disease control programmes for nearly two decades, is contracting sharply and is unlikely to return in its old form, and this declining external support has further compounded the pressure on government resources.

Despite the workforce and funding challenges, the Federal Ministry of Health’s Q1 2026 health sector performance report showed Lagos recorded the highest skilled birth attendance rate in the country at 100 per cent, a significant achievement that underscores the state’s commitment to maternal health. However, the state also recorded 50 maternal deaths in the first quarter of 2026, up from 26 in the previous quarter, as well as the country’s highest neonatal death toll at 231, an increase from 127 in Q4 2025. The scorecard attributed the bulk of the state’s neonatal mortality reports to Lagos Island and Ikorodu local government areas, highlighting the need for targeted interventions in these communities. The report also showed Lagos spent N180.99 billion on health in 2025 out of a N216.71 billion budget, the highest health expenditure by any state during the period, reflecting the administration’s prioritisation of healthcare despite resource constraints.

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In response to the crisis, Sanwo-Olu said the state government has begun implementing measures to address the workforce deficit, including aggressive recruitment drives, improved welfare packages, provision of accommodation for health workers, and plans to establish a University of Medicine and Health Sciences to expand training capacity. According to the governor, the government recently opened clinical recruitment across all 29 secondary healthcare facilities in the state, and he emphasised that the administration is improving conditions to slow the departures and, increasingly, to attract colleagues back. The governor further stressed that Lagos was moving from delivering healthcare projects to building enduring systems that would guarantee quality, accessible, and affordable healthcare for generations, stating that access without excellence is merely a queue in a clinic within walking distance where the drugs have run out, while excellence without access is a showpiece that a mother in Ajegunle will never enter, and Lagos is not interested in either option.

On health insurance, the governor announced that enrollment under the state’s Ilera Eko health insurance scheme has exceeded 1.5 million residents, with the figure standing at 1,502,994 as of the end of May 2026, and women account for more than half of the beneficiaries with 54 per cent female and 46 per cent male, while residents aged 18 to 60 account for more than 62 per cent of enrollees. The governor noted that utilisation is rising, which indicates that coverage is translating into actual care and not merely into cards in wallets. He also disclosed that the Lagos State Health Management Agency’s Assistance in Distress programme has saved 18 lives since it became operational in March, providing emergency care to victims of road traffic injuries, obstetric crises, strokes, and surgical emergencies regardless of their ability to pay. In an emergency, the governor affirmed, a Lagosian should be stabilised first and asked about payment afterwards, reinforcing the administration’s commitment to compassionate healthcare delivery.

Sanwo-Olu further revealed that the state is leveraging technology through the Lagos Smart Health Information Platform, a digital health information exchange system being implemented across public health institutions, and the platform has reached about 30 per cent implementation covering general hospitals, teaching hospitals, and more than 300 primary healthcare facilities. The platform will enable seamless access to patients’ medical records, improve disease surveillance, and support evidence-based health planning, and the governor explained that when the record travels, the clinician sees the whole patient, and when the data comes together, the policymaker sees the whole city, allowing the system to move from reacting to anticipating. The government is also investing in artificial intelligence and other digital innovations to strengthen diagnosis, medical imaging, and healthcare delivery, and according to the governor, the state recently launched a Digital Health Innovation Challenge to encourage innovators to develop technology-driven solutions for health insurance, emergency response, sickle cell management, neonatal care, and medical research.

Speaking on healthcare infrastructure, Sanwo-Olu highlighted ongoing investments in new general hospitals, climate-smart primary health centres, a children’s hospital, and a mental institute at Ketu-Ejirin, and he also reiterated the government’s zero tolerance for quackery and substandard healthcare practices. The governor reaffirmed his administration’s long-term vision, stressing that ongoing reforms, including Ilera Eko, the health district system, and the digital health platform, are designed to outlive his tenure, and he declared that the administration has kept its promises and is now building the systems that will keep them long after the current leadership. Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, reaffirmed the State Government’s commitment to building a more accessible, affordable, and efficient healthcare system, with plans to position the state as a leading medical tourism destination in Africa, and he reiterated that the state government remains committed to achieving universal health coverage for all residents.

Lagos Needs 80,000 More Health Workers to Avert Crisis – Sanwo-Olu Raises Alarm

News

NiMet Predicts Thunderstorms, Rain Across Nigeria Till Wednesday

Published

12 hours ago

September 21, 2026

Hamdalat Bisiriyu

NiMet Predicts Thunderstorms, Rain Across Nigeria Till Wednesday

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted thunderstorms and rainfall across several parts of Nigeria from Monday to Wednesday.

The agency, in its weather outlook released on Sunday, also warned that strong winds could occur ahead of thunderstorms in some areas.

For Monday, NiMet expects thunderstorms and light rain over parts of Taraba and Kebbi during the morning. Later in the day, moderate rainfall is expected across several areas in the North-East, Kaduna, Taraba and Kebbi.

In the North-Central region, parts of Niger State could experience thunderstorms and light rain in the morning, while most parts of the region may record thunderstorms with moderate rainfall by afternoon or evening.

The southern states are also expected to experience wet conditions. NiMet forecasts cloudy skies in the morning, with isolated thunderstorms and light rain over parts of Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River. More thunderstorms and light rain are expected later in the day.

Tuesday and Wednesday Forecast

On Tuesday, the northern region is expected to have patches of cloud in the morning, with thunderstorms and light rain possible in parts of Taraba.

By afternoon or evening, most parts of the region could experience thunderstorms accompanied by moderate rain.

In the North-Central, parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Niger, Nasarawa and Plateau states are expected to receive thunderstorms and moderate rainfall later in the day.

Southern areas, including parts of Ebonyi, Enugu, Abia and the South-South, may also experience thunderstorms and light rain.

NiMet expects more widespread rainfall on Wednesday, particularly across northern and North-Central states. Borno, Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, Adamawa and Taraba are among the areas listed for morning thunderstorms and moderate rain.

The agency also forecasts thunderstorms and moderate rainfall across much of the South later on Wednesday.

NiMet advised residents to secure loose objects and take precautions against strong winds. Motorists were urged to avoid driving during heavy rainfall, while residents were advised to disconnect electrical appliances during thunderstorms and stay away from tall trees.

Airline operators were also advised to obtain airport-specific weather information when planning flights.

NiMet Predicts Thunderstorms, Rain Across Nigeria Till Wednesday

News

Working People United Celebrates Oluremi Tinubu at 66, Commends Her Humanitarian Efforts

Published

12 hours ago

September 21, 2026

Hamdalat Bisiriyu

Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu

Working People United Celebrates Oluremi Tinubu at 66, Commends Her Humanitarian Efforts

Civic organisation Working People United has congratulated Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on her 66th birthday, praising her contributions to humanitarian services, education, healthcare and the empowerment of vulnerable Nigerians.

Oluremi Tinubu celebrates her 66th birthday on Monday, September 21, 2026, with messages of goodwill coming from individuals and organisations across the country.

In a congratulatory message issued on Sunday, National Coordinator-General of Working People United, Prince Williams Akporeha, described the First Lady’s years of public service as an important part of her contribution to Nigerian society.

Akporeha said the organisation recognised Oluremi Tinubu’s continued involvement in programmes designed to improve the welfare of children, women, young people and underserved communities.

He particularly highlighted her advocacy and interventions in education, healthcare access, youth development and economic empowerment, saying such initiatives were directed at addressing challenges faced by ordinary Nigerians.

According to the group, the First Lady’s humanitarian activities have focused on providing practical support to communities and creating opportunities for people who might otherwise have limited access to social and economic resources.

Working People United also commended Oluremi Tinubu’s interest in family welfare and children’s development, describing those areas as important to the long-term development of the country.

The organisation said efforts to strengthen access to basic education and healthcare, particularly at the grassroots, remained critical to improving the quality of life of Nigerians.

It also praised initiatives aimed at providing young people with skills and economic opportunities, noting that youth empowerment could help reduce vulnerability and expand participation in the economy.

Akporeha urged the First Lady to sustain her advocacy for vulnerable Nigerians as she begins another year of her life.

Working People United Celebrates Oluremi Tinubu at 66, Commends Her Humanitarian Efforts

International

18 Suspects Transferred to US Over 2021 Killing of Haitian President Moïse

Published

13 hours ago

September 21, 2026

Hamdalat Bisiriyu

18 Suspects Transferred to US Over 2021 Killing of Haitian President Moïse

Eighteen suspects accused of involvement in the 2021 assassination of former Haitian President Jovenel Moise have been transferred from Haiti to the United States to face trial.

US officials said the suspects were transported to Florida on Sunday, as American authorities continue their prosecution of people allegedly connected to the plot.

Federal prosecutor Jason Reding Quinones said the suspects were flown from Haiti on a military aircraft to face proceedings in the Southern District of Florida.

He said US authorities had so far indicted 30 people in connection with the assassination and warned that the prosecutions were not over.

Among those transferred was Joseph Felix Badio, a former anti-corruption official with Haiti’s Ministry of Justice who has been identified as a major suspect in the investigation.

Haitian government and police sources said the other suspects included Colombian nationals who were allegedly part of the group involved in the operation.

Colombian Nationals Among Suspects

Colombia’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that 17 of its citizens had been transferred from Haiti to the United States.

The ministry said the Colombian government was monitoring the development but had not participated in the decision or process that led to the transfer.

Moise was killed at his private residence in Port-au-Prince on July 7, 2021. Investigators said a group of about 20 Colombian military-trained mercenaries had been hired in connection with the operation.

The president’s security detail came under scrutiny after failing to prevent the attack.

In May, four men were convicted in a Miami federal court over charges connected to the plot, including conspiracy to kill or kidnap Moise and providing material support for the operation. They could face life imprisonment.

US prosecutors said the men were linked to CTU Security, a Florida-based private security company, and had allegedly been attracted by the prospect of lucrative contracts after Moise was removed from power.

The assassination plunged Haiti further into political and security turmoil. The country has since struggled with gang violence and remains without a president, while preparations continue for elections scheduled for December, subject to security conditions.