Posted on: Wed 28-10-2026

 

LAGOS — A former National President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Senator Francis Faduyile, has urged Nigerian doctors to move beyond criticising government policies and actively participate in partisan politics to influence decisions affecting healthcare delivery.

Faduyile, who represents Ondo South Senatorial District in the National Assembly and is a former Chairman of the Lagos State NMA, made the call on Tuesday at the centenary celebration of the Medical Guild in Lagos.

He said the involvement of medical professionals in politics and policymaking would help ensure that healthcare policies reflected professional realities and patients’ needs.

“One important change we need to make is to move from being commentators on the sidelines to becoming active participants in politics and policymaking,” he said.

Drawing on his experience as a medical practitioner and senator, Faduyile observed that although more doctors were occupying legislative positions, the profession needed to strengthen its influence on policies affecting healthcare.

He urged doctors to contribute their expertise before policies were formulated instead of waiting until implementation to identify shortcomings.

Using a hypothetical proposal to introduce Ebola vaccination on university campuses on the assumption that the virus could be contracted there, he warned that excluding medical expertise from policymaking could lead to ineffective public health interventions.

“As a senator, I am using this opportunity to emphasise that, as we celebrate this centenary, it is important for medical professionals to take a step further by becoming actively involved in partisan politics,” he said.

The senator also cautioned against allowing the celebration of the Guild’s achievements to overshadow persistent challenges facing public healthcare facilities and medical practitioners.

While acknowledging the Lagos State Government’s efforts to improve healthcare delivery, he called for an assessment of whether the interventions had translated into better working conditions for doctors and improved services for patients.

“Despite the achievements we are celebrating, can we honestly say we have arrived? Can we say we have done enough for the people we serve?” he asked.

Faduyile called for increased investment in general hospitals and improvements in the working environment for healthcare professionals. He urged doctors to consider the legacy they intended to leave for future generations.

“As a pathologist, I understand that death is inevitable. Whether we participate in politics or remain outside it, none of us will live forever. In another 100 years, we will all have passed on. What matters is the legacy we leave behind,” he said.

Lagos government pledges improved doctors’ welfare

The Lagos State Government has acknowledged the need to improve doctors’ welfare, working conditions and staff retention amid the continued migration of healthcare professionals abroad, commonly referred to as the japa syndrome.

The Deputy Governor, Dr Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat, represented by Dr Ibrahim Akinwunmi Mustapha, gave the assurance in a goodwill message, describing the centenary as a significant milestone in the state’s healthcare history.

He said sustained collaboration between the government and the Guild was essential because decisions on healthcare financing, workforce development, employment conditions and resource allocation directly affected doctors and service delivery.

According to him, the government had continued to invest in healthcare infrastructure and workforce development while recognising the importance of appropriate remuneration, allowances, career progression, professional development and staff safety.

“While recognising the progress made, we must also acknowledge the need to do more to address the evolving needs and legitimate expectations of our doctors,” he said.

Mustapha said the government remained committed to engaging the Guild on sustainable measures to improve welfare, retain skilled professionals and strengthen the health system.

He also called for stronger primary healthcare services, better integration of facilities, wider adoption of digital health technologies, workforce development and improved preparedness for public health emergencies.

He stressed that healthcare progress should be measured by health outcomes, equitable access, patient experiences and public confidence, rather than solely by the number of facilities constructed or equipment procured.

Medical Guild traces Lagos healthcare development

In his keynote address, the Chairman of the Medical Guild’s Board of Trustees, Prof. Adetokunbo O. Fabamwo, said Lagos had developed one of Africa’s most complex healthcare systems, serving an estimated population of 30 million people.

He put the number of public healthcare facilities at approximately 350 and private establishments at more than 3,500.

Fabamwo traced the development of organised healthcare in Lagos to the 1924 bubonic plague outbreak, which exposed weaknesses in the city’s medical infrastructure and prompted stronger public health interventions.

He said the outbreak resulted in 1,947 cases and 1,813 deaths between 1924 and 1931, representing a case fatality rate of approximately 93 per cent.

According to him, the crisis helped reshape public health administration and reinforced the importance of disease prevention, environmental health and community-based interventions.

Established in March 1926, the Medical Guild has played a significant role in representing doctors employed by the Lagos State Government, promoting professional solidarity and advocating improvements in healthcare delivery.

Fabamwo acknowledged the state’s progress but warned against complacency, urging the Guild to sustain its advocacy for better working conditions and quality healthcare as it entered its second century.

Primary healthcare gaps persist

Also speaking, Mustapha, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, highlighted gaps in access to primary healthcare despite ongoing reforms and investments.

He said about 34 per cent of wards reportedly lacked primary healthcare centres, underscoring the need to expand services in underserved and hard-to-reach communities.

According to him, the state renovated 49 primary healthcare centres in 2025 and 2026 and was developing four prototype facilities to improve service delivery and emergency preparedness.

He added that 81 centres provided round the clock services, while 347 had doctor coverage.

Mustapha disclosed that the state had 329 doctors, 917 midwives and 1,446 skilled birth attendants at the primary healthcare level. However, only 28 per cent of the workforce reportedly served in rural areas.

He identified uneven staff distribution, funding, governance, coordination and service delivery as continuing challenges requiring sustained attention.

He added that electronic medical records, reliable electricity, health insurance and effective referral systems also required further investment.

According to him, approximately 31 per cent of primary healthcare facilities were solar powered, with the government targeting 60 per cent by the following year.

The centenary celebration provided an opportunity for medical professionals and government representatives to reflect on a century of progress and consider reforms needed to improve doctors’ welfare, strengthen healthcare institutions and expand access to quality healthcare across Lagos State.

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