Lagos State Commissioner for Health has stated that the State Needs 30,000 Medical Practitioners.

According to Prof. Akin Abayomi, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, there is a 30,000 shortfall of medical professionals as a result of mass migration-related workforce shortages.

Abayomi noted that the exodus of medical professionals in search of better opportunities overseas has had a detrimental impact on the availability of labour in the health industry.

At the Lagos State University College of Medicine's induction ceremony for its 18th class of graduating medical physicians and its 8th class of graduating dental surgeons on Thursday, June 13, the health commissioner made this declaration.

He urged the entrants to pursue specialisations in a range of fields in order to enhance Nigeria's health system.

He said: “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’ (relocate 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."