The Lagos State Government says it is committed to improving access to quality healthcare across the state, but residents’ experiences and criticisms from opposition figures suggest that significant gaps remain in the public health system.
The Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said the state government was strengthening healthcare infrastructure, equipping hospitals and supporting healthcare workers as part of efforts to make quality healthcare more accessible to Lagosians.
“From strengthening our healthcare infrastructure to equipping our hospitals and supporting the dedicated professionals who serve our people, our administration remains committed to making quality healthcare more accessible to every Lagosian,” Abayomi said.
He added that the government was investing in healthcare facilities, technology, emergency response and the personnel needed to run the system, stressing that “a greater Lagos must be a healthier Lagos.”
According to the commissioner, Lagos has 40 general hospitals and about 300 primary healthcare centres, alongside the Ilera Eko health insurance scheme, which is designed to expand access to healthcare for residents.
But while the government points to its investments and the number of healthcare facilities across the state as evidence of progress, concerns persist over the quality of services residents receive in some public health facilities.
Dear @jidesanwoolu and @followlasg,
A child’s access to emergency healthcare should never depend on having cash in hand.
This disturbing account alleges that this woman had to leave her sick child and struggle to find cash because a Lagos General Hospital would not accept bank… pic.twitter.com/qhK3MygGKK
— Tracka (@TrackaNG) September 1, 2026
“He Started Be@ting Me With His Belt Even Before I Started Recording This Video. He Was Legit Ready To Start Punching Me When He Saw Me Recording. The Nurses And People Around Had To Stop Him.” ~ Lady Cries Out, Alleging She Was Ass@ulted By a Hospital Security Guard At General… pic.twitter.com/JquLSvbc1c
— Somto Okonkwo (@General_Somto) September 9, 2026
The criticism has also come from the political opposition.
The African Democratic Party (ADP) candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, accused the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of neglecting public healthcare despite the state’s huge internally generated revenue (IGR).
Rhodes-Vivour argued that the state’s growing revenue has not translated into a commensurate improvement in the public health system, questioning the impact of the government’s finances on the everyday healthcare experience of Lagos residents.
Lagos is generating revenue. But are Lagosians seeing enough of it in their daily lives?
ADC Lagos Governorship Candidate Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour (@GRVlagos ) questions what the state’s IGR means for the quality of healthcare and life available to residents.
He says the focus… pic.twitter.com/WB1KjREyvN
— Nigeria Info FM 99.3 (@NigeriainfoFM) September 8, 2026
His criticism comes amid growing complaints from residents about conditions in some public health facilities.
A recent report, for instance, found that 97 per cent of primary healthcare centres assessed across 16 states failed to meet Nigeria’s prescribed staffing requirements, raising broader concerns about the capacity of primary healthcare facilities to deliver adequate care.
In Lagos, residents have also expressed frustration over what they describe as poor service delivery, inadequate facilities and an unresponsive attitude among some medical personnel.
One recent case involved a woman who alleged that a government hospital insisted on receiving payment in cash, despite the growing reliance on electronic and cashless transactions. The incident generated criticism from residents who questioned the efficiency and responsiveness of public healthcare institutions.
Other residents have similarly shared accounts of poor facilities, inadequate resources and what they perceive as laxity or poor attitude to work among some healthcare workers.
The accounts paint a picture that appears at odds with the state government’s narrative of a healthcare system undergoing significant transformation.
The government points to its investments in infrastructure, technology, emergency response, health insurance and healthcare personnel. Opposition figures and residents, however, argue that these investments have yet to produce the level of improvement expected in the public health system.
The debate ultimately goes beyond the number of hospitals and primary healthcare centres in the state. It raises questions about whether those facilities are adequately staffed, properly equipped, accessible and capable of providing efficient and dignified care.
For a state that prides itself on its economic strength and substantial internally generated revenue, the critical question remains whether its financial capacity is being sufficiently reflected in the quality of healthcare available to ordinary Lagosians.
As the government continues to promise a healthcare system that is “resilient and fit for the Lagos of today and tomorrow,” residents and critics will be looking for improvements they can see and experience—not just statistics and official assurances.
From strengthening our healthcare infrastructure to equipping our hospitals and supporting the dedicated professionals who serve our people, our administration remains committed to making quality healthcare more accessible to every Lagosian.
We are investing in facilities,… pic.twitter.com/OifzFZkHFz
— Babajide Sanwo-Olu (@jidesanwoolu) September 14, 2026
