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LAGOS – Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu has called for a fundamental shift in thinking from losing healthcare professionals to retraining and empowering them.
Delivering the keynote at the inaugural Biennial Presidential Colloquium of the Academy of Medical Sciences on Friday, Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Oludayo Ibidunni Lajide, warned that the health of a nation will ultimately be judged by its ability to “protect life, preserve human potential, and remain resilient in the face of adversity.”
The two-day colloquium, themed ‘Nigeria’s Health at the Crossroads: Confronting Workforce Shortages, Epidemic Risks, and Maternal Mortality’, gathered the country’s top medical minds, including the Chairman of the Academy’s Board of Trustees, Chief Sonny Kuku; Academy President; President-Elect, Prof. Joseph Ahaneku; LUTH CMD, Prof. Wasiu Adeyemo; NCDC DG, Dr. Jide Idris; and LASUTH CMD, Prof. Adetokunbo Fabamwo.
Sanwo-Olu identified three interconnected crises threatening the system.
His Words: “First, the health workforce. Nigeria has trained thousands of doctors, nurses, pharmacists and lab scientists, yet we continue to confront the difficult reality of losing some of our skilled personnel to migration and other pressures.”
Proffering a solution, he stressed: “How do we retain the people we have trained? We need to create an environment within our healthcare system where professionals can build rewarding careers at home through better working conditions, continuous professional development, opportunities for specialisation and research, appropriate remuneration, modern facilities, and professional recognition.
“It is not simply about preventing migration. It is about building a health system that our brightest minds will choose to remain in and help strengthen.”
Recounting COVID-19 era, the governor noted that “epidemic preparedness, COVID-19 and other global outbreaks proved that preparedness cannot begin when an outbreak occurs.”
