Lagos Assembly Pushes Bill for New Medical University to Tackle Doctor Shortage
The Lagos State House of Assembly is advancing plans to establish a University of Medicine and Health Sciences in a bold move to address the state’s healthcare manpower deficit.
At a public hearing on the proposed legislation, held Wednesday at the Lateef Jakande Auditorium, Deputy Speaker Hon. Merainda Lasbat said contributions from stakeholders would ensure that the new multi-campus university becomes a sustainable institution.
Deputy Majority Leader Hon. Richard Kassumu assured participants that all suggestions and memoranda submitted would be carefully considered before the bill is passed.
Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Mr. Tolani Sule, stressed that the initiative goes beyond renaming the Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM). He described it as a deliberate effort to build a strong institution capable of training and deploying healthcare professionals for Lagos and Nigeria at large.
Supporting the move, the Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, noted the widening gap between the state’s rising population and the limited number of medical practitioners. He said the university would help close this gap, enhance healthcare delivery, and reduce the brain drain of doctors leaving the country.
The hearing drew wide participation from medical experts, academics, traditional rulers, and students, who shared recommendations on how the institution could be effectively developed.
The bill is expected to be finalized after a review of all stakeholder inputs.
