… Says Govt must prioritise health funding

By Chioma Obinna

The Lagos State branch of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, on Monday raised fresh concerns over the worsening state of the nation’s health sector, citing poor welfare, persistent brain drain, and weak policy implementation as major threats to quality healthcare delivery.

Speaking ahead of the association’s 2025 Scientific Conference, the state chairman, Dr Babajide Saheed, said Nigerian doctors were being stretched beyond human limits while hospitals struggled with inadequate funding, obsolete infrastructure, and shortages of essential drugs and manpower.

“The welfare of doctors has remained a major concern. Our hospitals are underfunded, our members are overworked, and the migration of doctors continues to cripple healthcare delivery.”

He lamented that despite repeated promises from government, the welfare and security of health workers had not improved, forcing many to seek opportunities abroad.

“When one doctor attends to over 10,000 patients, quality will suffer. Retaining talent is critical to our health system’s survival,” he warned.

Lamenting the need for effective healthcare financing, Saheed urged federal and state authorities to prioritise healthcare financing and policy continuity, stressing that erratic, politically driven decisions had weakened the system.

He called for closer engagement between government and professional bodies like the NMA in designing and executing reforms.

“Health policies should be evidence-based, not politically motivated. Government must engage professionals before rolling out reforms that affect both practitioners and patients.”

The NMA chairman said this year’s scientific conference would explore how artificial intelligence (AI) and digital innovation could transform healthcare in Lagos and Nigeria, while insisting that technology must complement, not replace, doctors.

“AI can revolutionise medicine, but it must be deployed with caution. Doctors, not machines, should make the final clinical decisions.”

Saheed added that the conference would examine practical ways of integrating technology into medical education, diagnosis, and service delivery without breaching ethics or patient safety.

According to the NMA, the scientific conference will gather experts, policymakers, and researchers to present new studies and exchange ideas on improving Nigeria’s health system. Sessions will cover digital health, ethics, medical education, and health financing.

He said the keynote address tagged: “Healthcare as a Value Chain: Building Efficiency from Policy to Patient” will be delivered by Prof Akin Osibogun, a former Chief Medical Director of the Lagos University teaching Hospital.

He further called on the Chief Medical Director of LUTH, CMD; Prof Wasiu Adeyemo to ensure full payment of outstanding skipping arrears and call duty meals in the hospital, stating that, the CMD himself was once a beneficiary of the program hence, the need to reinstate it

Speaking, the Assistant Secretary of Lagos NMA, Dr. Agbaje  Ayobami called on the Federal and state governments to prioritise health care funding, improve the welfare and training of health care workers.

He said to retain young doctors there was need for infrastructure upgrade, as well as creation of a safe and enabling environment for medical practice. “It’s only through coherent policy and responding to medical needs that we can truly improve efficiency from policy to patient.”