WorldStage— Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has pledged continued engagement with the Medical Guild to resolve outstanding issues relating to doctors’ allowances, welfare and working conditions in the state’s public health sector.
Sanwo-Olu gave the assurance at the Medical Guild’s Centenary Celebration and Scientific Conference on Tuesday in Lagos.
The event had the theme, “100 Years of Healthcare Delivery: Celebrating the Past, Transforming the Present, Shaping the Future.”
Sanwo-Olu, represented by Mr Sam Egube, Deputy Chief of Staff, acknowledged that some aspects of the implementation of the Professional Allowance Statement approved for doctors in the state service remained unresolved.
The governor said the state government remained committed to working with the guild to address outstanding concerns, noting that the welfare, safety and professional development of healthcare workers were critical to delivering quality medical services.
He recalled that at a meeting with the Guild on July 17,. led by its Chairman, Dr Oluwole Olusanya, he approved the implementation of the Professional Allowance Statement for doctors in the state service.
“I acknowledge that outstanding areas and implementation concerns remain unfinished business. I will continue to engage the Guild towards their resolution,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu stressed that quality healthcare depended not only on modern facilities but also on motivated medical professionals working under safe and conducive conditions.
He also paid tribute to the late Dr Vwaere Diaso, who died at General Hospital, Odan, in 2023, saying the incident underscored the need to ensure that hospitals and doctors’ accommodation met appropriate safety standards.
The governor congratulated the guild on its 100 years of service, describing the milestone as an opportunity to honour generations of doctors whose dedication had contributed to healthcare delivery in Lagos.
He said the guild had played important roles in advancing medical professionalism, promoting quality care and advocating improved working conditions for healthcare professionals.
Sanwo-Olu listed the reconstruction of Massey Street Children’s Hospital, improvements to general hospitals and the expansion of emergency care facilities among the state government’s investments in healthcare infrastructure.
He added that the state’s health insurance programme, ‘Ilera Eko’, had enrolled 1.5 million residents as of May 2026, as part of efforts to reduce the financial burden of medical treatment.
The governor also reaffirmed the state’s commitment to expanding access to affordable healthcare through the enforcement of the executive order he signed in July 2024, making health insurance mandatory for residents.
He said the government would continue to strengthen primary healthcare, preventive medicine, medical training and technology-driven services to improve patient outcomes and retain skilled professionals.
Sanwo-Olu urged the Guild to sustain its partnership with the government in building a healthcare system capable of meeting the needs of Lagos’ growing population.
Earlier, Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, congratulated the Guild on its centenary, describing the milestone as a testament to a century of professional service, advocacy and contributions to healthcare delivery.
Hamzat said the relationship with the Guild was crucial, as government policies on healthcare financing, workforce, remuneration and employment conditions directly affected doctors and service delivery.
He commended doctors for their dedication under demanding conditions, noting that the government recognised the need for fair remuneration, career progression, professional development, conducive working conditions and staff safety.
While acknowledging investments in infrastructure and workforce development, Hamzat said more still needed to be done to meet doctors’ legitimate expectations amid rising emigration of health workers.
Hamzat, represented by Dr Ibrahim Mustafa, Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, pledged sustained engagement with the Guild to improve welfare, retain skilled personnel and strengthen service delivery.
Hamzat listed five priorities for the next phase of healthcare development: strengthening primary healthcare, integrating primary, secondary and tertiary facilities, embracing digital health, investing in the health workforce, and improving health-system resilience.
He urged the guild to develop actionable recommendations on doctors’ welfare, professional development and healthcare system strengthening, stressing that the success of the centenary conference should be measured by practical outcomes.
Similarly, Prof. Akin Abayomi, state Commissioner for Health, highlighted various projects undertaken by the state government to strengthen healthcare delivery while commending the guild for its contribution to health system development.
Abayomi said the next century of medical practice would be shaped by artificial intelligence, digital medicine and improved healthcare infrastructure.
He predicted that medical practice could undergo significant transformation within the next five to 10 years as technology and reforms reshape the delivery of healthcare.
Abayomi expressed optimism that ongoing health reforms, particularly mandatory health insurance, would improve quality of life by expanding access to care and reducing catastrophic health spending that can cripple families financially.
Also, Prof. Tokunboh Fabamwo, Chief Medical Director, LASUTH, traced the development of organised public health services in Lagos to historical disease outbreaks that exposed the inadequacies of the territory’s early medical infrastructure.
He, however, said that in spite of advances in medical infrastructure, access to healthcare remained affected by the economic realities confronting residents, including the cost of living, transportation and the financial limitations faced by subnational governments.
Fabamwo stressed the importance of collective action and solidarity among medical professionals, arguing that the Guild’s century-long existence had helped build institutional memory, professional relationships and credibility.
According to him, doctors speaking with one voice would strengthen their bargaining power and ensure that their demands reflected the broader interests of the profession rather than the grievances of individual groups.
He warned that fragmentation among medical professionals could weaken their position in negotiations with the government and undermine efforts to improve their working conditions.
Fabamwo described Lagos as a model for healthcare development in Nigeria, adding that the state’s future healthcare performance would depend on how effectively present challenges were addressed.
Earlier, Dr Oluwole Olusanya, Chairman, Medical Guild, described the continued migration of doctors as a serious warning, noting that the state was losing trained professionals, years of investment in medical education, valuable experience and mentors for younger doctors.
Olusanya said the problem could not be solved by appealing to patriotism alone, but by creating an environment where doctors could work, earn a decent living, raise families and build fulfilling careers in Nigeria.
He stressed that doctors’ welfare was inseparable from patients’ welfare, explaining that when doctors were adequately supported, patients benefited, but when doctors were exhausted, demoralised and poorly equipped, the entire health system suffered.
Olusanya said the slogan “Doctors’ Lives Matter Too” must go beyond words and be reflected in government policies, remuneration, staffing, working conditions and protection of doctors’ well-being.
He warned against a return to the 1980s when hospitals were described as mere consulting clinics due to lack of personnel, equipment and resources.
“We must not allow our hospitals to return to that state,” he said.
Olusanya called on the state government and stakeholders to work with the guild to strengthen health institutions, improve doctors’ welfare and deliver quality healthcare to residents.
