The Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) has strengthened its healthcare delivery capacity with the graduation of a new cadre of health system managers.

The institution graduated the pioneer set of students of its Postgraduate Diploma in Hospital Administration and Management (PGDHAM) for the 2024/2025 academic session, a programme designed to address critical leadership and management gaps in healthcare delivery.

The historic ceremony, held at the hospital’s MRC Auditorium, marks the first cohort to complete the programme, which is affiliated with the School of Postgraduate Studies of Lagos State University.

Speaking at the event, LASUTH Chief Medical Director, Adetokunbo Fabamwo, described the milestone as both the completion of an academic programme and the beginning of a new phase in healthcare leadership within and beyond the institution.

He said the graduands had distinguished themselves as pioneers who have set a standard, blazed a trail, and laid a solid foundation for future cohorts.

Fabamwo noted that the healthcare landscape is rapidly evolving, driven by advances in medical science, rising patient expectations, resource constraints, and increasing demands for efficiency and accountability. He stressed the need for professionals with both clinical understanding and strong managerial competence to optimise resources and deliver sustainable, quality healthcare.

He added that the PGDHAM programme was designed as a strategic investment in human capital, aimed at strengthening the health system from within. The CMD urged the graduates to serve as ambassadors of excellence in hospital administration, encouraging them to apply their knowledge to improve processes, enhance patient experience, strengthen teamwork, and promote accountability. He also emphasised innovation, integrity, and compassion in service delivery.

He commended faculty members, coordinators, and families of the graduates for their contributions to the programme’s success.

In her goodwill message, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Establishment and Training, Lagos State, Olubusola Abidakun, urged the graduands to mentor upcoming cohorts while continuing their professional development, describing administrators as the “oxygen” of organisations.

She highlighted effective management of manpower, materials, money, and machines as essential to institutional success.

Similarly, Permanent Secretary of the Health Service Commission, Lagos State Health Service Commission, Abimbola Mabogunje, described the programme as a strategic investment in strengthening Lagos State’s healthcare system, urging the graduands to uphold professionalism, integrity, and service.

Dean of the Postgraduate School at Lagos State University, Ibrahim Olateju, described the graduation as both the culmination of an academic journey and the beginning of new opportunities, encouraging the graduates to remain bold and future-focused.

Chairman of the Guild of Lagos State Medical Directors, Olumide Sojinrin, described hospital administration as a multidisciplinary field critical to the efficient functioning of healthcare institutions, highlighting its role in operations, finance, policy implementation, and patient care delivery.