Lagos needs 1000 doctors to address shortage – Guild
Doctors employed by the Lagos state government under the aegis of the Medical Guild have disclosed that the state needs more than 1,000 doctors to replace those who have exited the system, stating that severe shortage of medical personnel in state-owned hospitals has led to poor quality service delivery to patients.
According to them, the state government can effectively address the problem by implementing the exit replacement system in the state through the head of service and not the governor.
Speaking at a press briefing on the guild’s forthcoming scientific conference with the theme: “Lagos state health scheme: The facts, the myths,” Chairman of the guild, Dr. Saheed Babajide, decried the attitude of the state government to the issue of doctors shortage and its negative impact on residents of the state.
Babajide revealed that in 2018 alone, a total of 250 doctors left the system and since then, and as “I am speaking to you now, many are still leaving. We need about 1,000 doctors for exit replacement.
“Our members are leaving the system everyday as a result of increased work load and more would leave the system if nothing is done to tackle the problem.
Now, to address the problem, we ask that this replacement be done at the level of head of service. We do not believe that this needs to reach the governor.”
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Appealing that the exit replacement be done in phases, Babajide stated that “25 per cent should be done by the end of 2019, and another 25 per cent in January 2020.
“The remaining 50 per cent should be done within the first quarter of next year. We are going to a level of serious crisis in Lagos state if this is not resolved.”
The chairman disclosed that members of the guild were angry and might take action that could affect the system if the state government fails to do the needful.
“We don’t want to embark on industrial action that is why we are appealing to the government to do the needful before the crisis gets out of hand. All we are saying is that government has to employ more doctors.
“It cannot deny the huge shortage of doctors in the state. By the end of December, if nothing is done, members will take a decision,” he noted.
He also urged the state government to improve the welfare of its members through incentives such as housing and car loans, adding that “another step that will be useful is the exemption of call duty from taxation.
“This will lighten the heavy tax burden on members of the guild. We have also asked that the retirement age of doctors in the service be increased from 60 to 65 years as has been done for teachers.”
The chairman however, rejected the new minimum wage by the state government, saying they were not part of the negotiation that brought about the minimum wage even as they still await government’s response.
The scientific conference according to the guild, will witness free medical screening on blood pressure, HIV testing, malaria, blood sugar level, dental care and free consultation for staff of the state.
