Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, has disclosed that outpatient patronage in the state’s public hospitals has doubled in the last six months, with some facilities now attending to thousands of patients daily. He said the surge was putting significant pressure on doctors and other healthcare professionals.
Abayomi attributed the increase partly to the rising cost of healthcare, which has made private medical services increasingly unaffordable for many residents. He explained that while the cost of healthcare continues to rise, residents’ purchasing power has remained relatively stagnant, forcing many people to move from private hospitals to government facilities.
The commissioner, however, expressed concern that some residents were also turning to informal healthcare providers, including pharmacists and roadside drug sellers, instead of seeking treatment through the orthodox healthcare system. He warned that this trend could encourage self-medication and expose people to avoidable health risks.
He also linked the pressure on public hospitals to the migration of healthcare professionals from Nigeria. According to him, the combination of increasing patient numbers and the loss of medical personnel is placing doctors and other healthcare workers under considerable stress.
Abayomi further disclosed that Lagos State plans to enforce compulsory health insurance for residents as part of efforts to improve healthcare financing and reduce the burden on public hospitals. He said the government is restructuring its health insurance system to ensure that residents have access to affordable basic healthcare while improving the sustainability of the state’s health sector.