0
Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, Lagos State Deputy Governor, has said that the future of healthcare in the state depends not only on modern facilities and technology, but on investing in healthcare professionals.
Hamzat said this on Thursday during a one-on-one session at the 2026 Eko Health Convention, themed: “Building a Healthier Lagos: Connection Access with Excellence,” held at Lagos Oriental Hotel, where he reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to raising healthcare standards across the state.
The Deputy Governor noted that delivering quality care to millions of residents requires building a stronger, better equipped and well supported health workforce, noting that the government has a responsibility to protect the health and well-being of Lagos residents.
Besides, it must continue to strengthen the capacity of healthcare professionals to meet growing demands, highlighting that the expansion of Maternal and Child Care Centres (MCCs) across the State was driven by the need to take quality maternal and pediatric services closer to communities and reduce the pressure on major tertiary health facilities.
He also stated that decentralisation is a critical strategy for improving access to education, healthcare and other essential services, underscoring that taking government closer to the people will enable authorities to respond more effectively to local needs, generate better data and deliver more impactful services.
“Decentralising, I think, has made the health system better. The essence is to make sure that the structure of government is able to administer better and then we are able to take care of the people better. When you look at the Maternal and Child Care Centres, the idea is: how do we provide pediatric services on their own so that at least children and families can have hospitals that are closer to them? I think if we are able to do that more, we will be able to track maternal mortality in our State, and of course, it is a very nice result for the people.”
Hamzat also paid tribute to frontline workers for their dedication during the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that their courage and professionalism helped Lagos respond effectively during one of the most challenging public health crises in recent history.
Commenting on the Convention, Hamzat described it as a key platform for collaboration among government, healthcare professionals, the private sector and development partners.
He emphasised that sustainable improvements can only come through collective action, as stakeholders work to strengthen the health system and improve access to quality care for millions of residents.
