The Lagos State Government has unveiled fresh health priorities for 2026, with the establishment of the Lagos State University of Medicine and Health Sciences topping its agenda to address the acute shortage of medical professionals.
Health Commissioner Prof. Akin Abayomi, speaking at the 2026 Annual Operational Plan (AOP) top management committee meeting in Ikeja, said the university, already cleared legislatively, would produce more doctors and health workers, retain talents, and woo diaspora professionals back home.
“Lagos should never be a state where you complain of shortage of healthcare professionals, stressing that deliberate planning and strict budget alignment remain crucial to achieving impactful health outcomes for residents.”
The Commissioner described the AOP as inseparable from the state’s budget process, warning that any disconnect would amount to “planning to fail.” He urged health leaders to integrate global, national, and grassroots realities into Lagos’ operational strategies for 2026/2027.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi, charged health leaders to embrace efficiency, collaboration, and digitalization.
She noted that Lagos, because of its scale and complexity, often dictates national health directions rather than follows them.
“Most times, the federal aligns with Lagos, not the other way round,Ogunyemi said stressing that initiatives such as the Smart Health Information Platform (SHIP) and the HOPE agenda must remain at the centre of reforms.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, decried “lazy planning” and recycling of past budgets. He urged managers to prioritize fewer but more impactful projects backed by evidence and sustainability. “A plan is only useful when it translates into measurable outcomes,” he said.
Development partners, including The Challenge Initiative (TCI) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), pledged continued support. TCI’s representative, Mrs. Fanimokun Adesola, said the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation-backed programme remains committed to strengthening health systems through deliberate and inclusive planning.
UNFPA’s Dr. Akinkunmi Akinbajo commended Lagos’ coordination framework, noting it prevents duplication of donor interventions. He pledged deeper collaboration in maternal health and family planning.
The 2026 AOP, anchored on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES+ agenda, will also prioritize mandatory health insurance, digitalization of services, and robust human capital development to consolidate Lagos’ position as the nation’s health system pacesetter.
