By Ayomide Otitoju
The Lagos State Government has converted the former CACOVID Centre at Mainland Hospital, Yaba, into an academic facility for the Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM) as part of efforts to expand the training of healthcare professionals.
Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, disclosed this on Tuesday at the handover ceremony of the renovated and expanded facility by the Lagos State Infrastructure and Asset Management Agency (LASIAMA) to the Ministry of Health.
Abayomi said the intervention was driven by the need to increase the production of healthcare professionals amid a shortage of manpower in the state.
He attributed the shortage partly to the migration of healthcare workers, popularly known as “Japa”, and insufficient local capacity to produce enough professionals to meet the needs of Lagos’ growing population.
According to him, the state’s “Brain Gain” initiative would focus on expanding local training while creating an enabling environment for Nigerian healthcare professionals abroad to return with skills and experience acquired overseas.
“While everyone talks about brain drain, Lagos State is focusing on brain gain,” he said.
The commissioner said the state planned to increase annual enrolment across various healthcare disciplines from fewer than 500 students to about 2,500 within the next four to five years.
He said the government would maximise existing infrastructure across its healthcare facilities rather than rely solely on new construction.
Abayomi said medical training would be expanded beyond LASUCOM and the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) by using general hospitals and flagship primary healthcare centres, while encouraging private-sector participation.
He noted that Lagos had about 30 general hospitals, more than 300 primary healthcare centres and 10 mother and child care centres that could support the expansion of healthcare training.
The commissioner explained that the CACOVID Centre, which was originally constructed as an isolation facility during the COVID-19 pandemic, was selected for repurposing to prevent the facility from becoming underutilised and deteriorating.
He said it had been transformed into an annex of LASUCOM, with a particular focus on supporting the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
According to him, the renovated facility would provide additional capacity for the faculty’s six departments, with 315 additional laboratory positions, 520 lecture seats and about 169 seminar seats.
Abayomi also disclosed that the state government was pursuing the establishment of a standalone University of Medicine and Health Sciences to further expand medical education.
He said the bill establishing the university had been passed by the Lagos State House of Assembly and would be presented to the governor for assent.
The commissioner said the initiative would also help increase the number of pharmacists and other healthcare professionals entering the system, noting that the shortage of pharmacists remained a challenge in Lagos and Nigeria.
He urged students who would use the facility to take ownership of it and ensure its proper maintenance for future generations.
Representing the General Manager of LASIAMA, Adenike Adekanbi, the Head of Project Team, Engr. Yemisi Aderibigbe, said the facility was constructed in 2019 as a COVID-19 isolation centre but became underutilised after the pandemic.
She said Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu approved the expansion and renovation in December 2024, while PCP Construction Nigeria Limited commenced work in March 2025 and completed the project to approved standards.
The Provost of LASUCOM, Prof. Olufemi Idowu, described the transformation as a welcome development, recalling that the facility had deteriorated after the pandemic.
The Deputy Provost, Prof. Sunday Soyemi, said the intervention would address about 30 per cent of LASUCOM’s space challenge and commended the government and contractors for the project.
The Director, Medical Project Implementation Unit, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusoga Oduwole, also commended LASIAMA for delivering the project, saying the upgraded facility would provide a more conducive environment for healthcare-related activities and service delivery.
The Executive Director, Projects, PCP Construction Limited, Mr Yemi Yusuf, described the project as ambitious and expressed satisfaction with its completion, saying the modern facility would expand the capacity of the School of Pharmacy and LASUCOM.
Formally handing over the facility for academic use, Abayomi said its repurposing was another step towards positioning Lagos as a major centre for medical training, healthcare development and medical excellence.
