By Sodiq Adelakun
The Lagos State Government has announced that the Ojo and Ejirin General Hospitals will be operational within the next six months as part of an accelerated push to strengthen healthcare infrastructure and service delivery across the state.
Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, disclosed this while presenting the scorecard of the Ministry of Health at the 2025 Ministerial Press Briefing held in Alausa, Ikeja, on Wednesday.
He revealed that both projects are among a slew of ongoing medical infrastructure initiatives that would be completed and inaugurated in the coming months.
“Ojo General Hospital was conceived to ease the burden on the overstretched Igando and Iba general hospitals. We understand the urgency and are ensuring that this facility, along with others, will be ready for public use within six months,” Abayomi said.
He reiterated the Sanwo-Olu administration’s commitment to delivering modern, accessible, and sustainable healthcare services to Lagosians, noting that the government is focused on building “self-sufficient and energy-resilient” medical infrastructure.
Among the landmark projects highlighted is the 150-bed New Massey Children’s Hospital, which the Commissioner described as a flagship facility designed to provide specialist paediatric care in a purpose-built environment.
To complement infrastructure development, Abayomi announced the ongoing deployment of the state’s Smart Health Information Platform (SHIP), which will digitise health records and enable real-time access to patient data across all state general hospitals.
“We are building a synchronised health information system that allows patients to access their medical records in any of our hospitals. This is part of our digital health transformation strategy,” he explained.
In addressing healthcare human resource challenges, Abayomi acknowledged a significant shortage of medical professionals in the state.
“Lagos currently has 7,000 doctors, but our need is closer to 41,000. One of the ways we’re tackling this is by expanding admissions into our medical colleges and increasing local training capacity,” he said.
The Commissioner also disclosed that the state government will break ground in May for the Lagos State Comprehensive Cancer Diagnostic Center, a major project developed through a public-private partnership.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Olukemi Ogunyemi, reaffirmed the administration’s dedication to expanding access to quality care.
“We are working tirelessly to ensure that residents enjoy consistent, high-quality health services regardless of location,” she said.
Anatomical said the Ministry of Health, which currently has a workforce of 18,000 the largest in the state will continue to prioritise upskilling of healthcare professionals and retention strategies to reverse the trend of brain drain.
“We’re not only addressing brain drain, we’re working towards brain gain. Our training programmes are equipping our professionals to deliver world-class healthcare right here in Lagos,” he added.