Lagos Govt. moves to strengthen Primary Health Care

The Lagos State Government has unveiled a comprehensive 10-year Primary Healthcare (PHC) Financing Plan (2026–2036) aimed at expanding functional health centres and achieving universal health insurance coverage.

Prof. Akin Abayomi, Lagos State Commissioner for Health, introduced the initiative during a two-day retreat held in Lekki, designed to establish a sustainable and accountable funding model for the state’s rapidly growing population.

The event had the theme: `Lagos State Primary Health Care Financing Retreat On Advancing Sustainable Health Systems in Lagos: A 10-Year PHC Financing Plan”.

Abayomi stated that the 30‑year roadmap, the Lagos State Development Plan 2052 (LSDP 2052), was to overhaul its health system, expand primary care and reverse some of the worst maternal and child health indicators in the world.

He described it as a rare long‑range vision on the continent.

“This is the Lagos State Development Plan, 2052; it was released in 2022, it’s a 30-year development plan.

“Lagos State, as far as I know, is the only geopolitical space in Africa that has a 30-year development plan.

“Most countries have five, 10, 15, but Lagos has been able to develop this very, very robust document.”

He also noted that Lagos currently operated approximately 340 PHCs, nearly half requiring urgent upgrades.

“Our goal is to increase this to 600 fully functional PHCs, properly equipped and staffed,” Abayomi said.

Abayomi also raised concerns over current health indices, noting that approximately 430 women died per 100,000 live births in the state.

He asserted that “there should be no woman dying in childbirth in Lagos” and described the fact that four out of every ten children suffered from malnutrition as “unacceptable”.

Addressing the brain drain and manpower shortages, Abayomi lamented the significant shortage of doctors and nurses in Lagos, with only 7,000 doctors and 40,000 nurses against the required numbers.

He warned that at the current rate of recruitment, it could take centuries to close the gap, emphasising the need for improved working conditions to attract professionals back to the system.

He highlighted the role of local government leaders in monitoring the private healthcare sector and addressing issues like the “japa phenomenon”.

Abayomi also emphasised the importance of working together to retain healthcare professionals in the country.

He noted the current health spending statistics in Nigeria, showing a high out-of-pocket expenditure.

To cushion the effect, Abayomi said there was a need to shift the focus to insurance-based health spending.

Dr Ibrahim Mustafa, Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, called for transparency in fund utilisation, noting that existing windows like the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund must be effectively managed to reach vulnerable populations.

Also, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr Kemi Ogunyemi, added that the financing plan provided a strategic pathway for long-term impact through strong partnerships.

Contributing to the discussion, a Health Economist, Dr Olamide Okulaja, described the nation’s PHC system as “weak and underfunded,” noting that 77 per cent of healthcare spending in the country remained out-of-pocket.

He pointed out that while 70 per cent of Nigerians depended on primary care, only 20 per cent of facilities nationwide were fully functional.

Dr Veronica Iwayemi, Director, Medical Services and Disease Control, LSPHCB, underscored the need for execution, stating that a unified programme for infrastructure, technology, and human resources is essential for success.

Also, Mr Olakunle Daramola of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, urged local governments to integrate these health priorities into their specific development plans to ensure better execution.

This newspaper reports that stakeholders from the 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas were at the engagement.

They asserted that the success of the 2026–2036 plan would depend on sustained political will, improved data management, and rigorous accountability.