At a press conference in Abeokuta on Thursday to kick off activities for the Nigerian Medical Association’s 2026 Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference, the Ogun State Chairman of the NMA, Dr. Luqman Ogunjimi, raised alarm over a severe shortage of medical doctors in the state.
He revealed that only about 1,200 doctors are currently available to serve estimated 9million residents, translating to roughly 1 doctor for about 7,500 people and is therefore calling on government and citizens to improve the welfare and protection of the few doctors who have stayed, as the state actually requires between 5,000 and 10,000 doctors to meet its healthcare demands. Ogunjimi described the 1 doctor to 7,500 patients as a grossly inadequate figure for the state’s healthcare needs and noted that, despite a strong trend of medical practitioners emigrating abroad, the few who have chosen to remain in Ogun State are working under intense pressure and are still subjected to unwarranted attacks from the public.
He stressed that these remaining doctors have deliberately stayed back to “give back to their country” and urged both the government and the general public to place greater priority on their welfare and safety. Ogunjimi further stated that Ogun State needs between 5,000 and 10,000 doctors to provide acceptable healthcare services for its growing population, adding that while the 1,200 on ground are trying their best, the manpower gap remains dangerously wide.
