As part of efforts to reposition the health sector in Lagos State, the Legislative Initiative for Sustainable Development (LISDEL), in collaboration with the UHC 2023 Forum, Global Health Advocacy Incubator, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the media, have appealed to governorship candidates to prioritise healthcare in their development agenda.

The appeal was made at a one-day advocacy stakeholder’s forum with all the gubernatorial candidates, in the light of recent happenings within the industry.

The forum sought to deepen the understanding of the political class and other stakeholders on the health security gaps and acquaint them with available strategic policy options for strengthening health policy and financing options.

The forum, which also encouraged the candidates to prioritise health security in their development agenda, obtained signed commitments from them towards enhanced prioritisation of the sector in government’s spending.

The Charting a course of action for translating the candidates’ commitments into actions and engendering accountability for the fulfillment of their commitments, LISDEL Project Director, Prevent Epidemics Project (PEP), Dr. Gafar Alawode, in his opening remarks, revealed that any turnaround in policy has to be backed by the political class, else it dies on arrival.

Chairman, NMA Lagos State Chapter, Dr. Benjamin Olowojebutu, lamented that healthcare workers are under threat in Lagos, as their members were being harassed, maimed and even killed regularly. “It saddens me to say that we lost 1,800 doctors to the UK and other countries as at last month. This has crossed alarming levels now and we need to ask how these candidates would ensure healthcare workers remain in the country, earn fair pay and better working conditions. The brain drain is alarming, skilled workers are leaving Nigeria for greener pastures and it’s worrying.”

Lagos Civil Society Participation for Development (LASCOP) Board of Trustees Chairman, Mr. Ayo Adebusoye, on his part said that since the state has the largest concentration of private sector, there is no reason that health financing cannot work.

The Secretary, NMA, Lagos chapter, Dr. Ismail Ajibowo, in setting the objectives of the forum, urged the candidates to divulge their plans for the healthcare delivery system in Lagos, how they intend to realise it, and sign a pledge to be held accountable when they assume office later this year.

Chairman, association of Nigerian private medical practitioners (ANPMP), Makinde Akinlemibola, speaking on “Lagos State Health Sector Reform: Challenges and Prospects,” revealed that over 50 percent of their members have left the country with more on their way out and not because of remuneration alone. “The system is broken and needs urgent reform. We need to retain our health workers still left here and treat them better. Over 70 percent of Nigerians still use private healthcare and we’re doing the best we can without government support of any kind. Health is a social capital and government alone cannot fund the healthcare sector but it still can’t be totally commercialized.

To this end, we need to put in place policies and laws that will bring funds into the sector. Government needs to be more proactive. Some of the laws we have presently in this sector, including the health reform laws, were made without the input of private practitioners and they affect us negatively.

“Also, health workers are not well protected within the law. Health workers need improved remuneration, better working conditions and full medical insurance to enable them put in their best.”

Presenting a paper on Lagos state healthcare reform: challenges and prospects, Chairman, Medical Guild, Dr SF Ahmad, said while the prospects are promising and bright, the reforms and law still has challenges including financing, human resource management, health facilities regulation/monitoring and evaluation, HEFAMAA structuring, overlapping of regulations and regulatory bodies, poor definition of state government roles in health facilities, alternative/traditional medicine status, absence of definite anti-quackery law in the successive reforms and the need for better definition of roles and rules of interaction at the local government level.

“There’s need for the harmonisation of Orthodox medical practice, Alternative Practice and Traditional Medicine Practice. Traditional medicine practice is not only practiced by what you see and touch however, there are unseen parts that need to be clarified,” he said.

Speaking on an overview of health security legal, policy and financing landscape in Lagos state, state project coordinator, PEP, Hassan-Obalola Tawakalt, reiterated that it is important that we don’t look at health from the perspective of human health alone but also from the perspective of animal and environmental health.

At the panel discussion for the gubernatorial candidates, the ADC candidate, Funsho Doherty said under his agenda realizes that health is not an area of profit making but for the social good, as everywhere in the world, the government funds health care.

NRM (National Rescue Movement) Gubernatorial Candidate, Akinwumi Braithwaite on his part said the government must provide the lion share to finance the health sector, even if the private sector will be involved.

African Action Congress (AAC) candidate, Olayiwola Olajide, lamented that the present ruling elite has not placed priority on the state Healthcare because they get treated overseas, leaving the sector to suffer. He said he will create more primary health care (PHC) centers across the state to reach as much people as possible. “ I will also push a bill to peg yearly Healthcare budget to no less than 15 percent of the total state budget, curb medical tourism in general and put laws in place that will prevent political office holders from going abroad for Healthcare of any kind. We will also subsidize drugs for serious ailments to assist the very poor.

YPP guber candidate, Ajayi Adebayo, said he will reduce the brain drain of healthcare workers and turn Lagos to the mecca of good health where every other person will troop to for quality healthcare services.

Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) candidate, Adenipebi Adekunle said when elected, he will get residents to key into health insurance, depoliticise PHC siting and discourage medical tourism as much as possible.

At the end, the candidates all signed the commitment and pledge card which they agreed they will be held accountable to when they get into office if elected.