By Bilkis Abdulraheem Lawal
A month after BAL-NEWS published her six-month-long investigative series exposing the state of neglected primary healthcare services in some of Lagos State’s riverine communities, the Lagos State Government has announced the commencement of its recruitment exercise for healthcare professionals.
The announcement, made on Sunday, 5th October 2025, follows Lawal’s widely circulated report titled “Neglected Shores: Investigating the Primary Healthcare Crisis in Some Riverine Areas of Lagos State.”
The two-part digital series and three-part radio broadcast, investigated by Bilkis Abdulraheem Lawal, was aired on Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (Bond 92.9FM, Lagos) on 28th August 2025, and published on eight different news platforms and shared across Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok, attracting widespread public engagement.
Findings from the Investigative Report
The investigation revealed the critical state of primary healthcare delivery in four riverine communities: Ibeshe, Ikaare, Ibasa, and Irede Onigbanko, under Ori-Ade Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State.
Residents of Ibeshe complained that only the maternity unit of their newly renovated Primary Health Centre (PHC) was operational, while other departments remained inactive.
“It is only the maternity clinic that works, and that’s from Mondays to Fridays,” one resident told the reporter.
Others lamented their reliance on patent medicine vendors, traditional birth attendants, and clinics outside the community, despite commending the government for renovating the facility.
“We appreciate the renovation, but we want the government to give us nurses and doctors and make the hospital fully operational,” another resident appealed.
You can read the first part of the investigation here
Government Reaction and Recruitment Drive
Responding to the report, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board (LSPHCB), Dr. Ibrahim Mustapha, acknowledged the severe shortage of healthcare workers, attributing it largely to the ‘Japa Syndrome’, the emigration of Nigerian professionals in search of better opportunities abroad.
Dr. Mustapha assured that the state government was taking steps to recruit about 900 new healthcare professionals to fill existing gaps and strengthen PHC operations across the state. He specifically confirmed that Ibeshe PHC would receive additional staff to enable all departments to function optimally.
Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board (LSPHCB), Dr. Ibrahim Mustapha
On Sunday, 5th October 2025, a statement signed by Dr. Mustapha and shared on Facebook by the Board’s Media Assistant, Blessing Vandefan, confirmed that the recruitment exercise had received approval from Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
The statement read:
“The Lagos State Primary Health Care Board hereby announces the opening of its official application portal for interested and qualified health professionals who are ready to contribute to the delivery of quality healthcare at the primary level in alignment with the THEMES PLUS Agenda of the state.”
Available positions include:
• Medical Officers
• Nurses and Midwives
• Pharmacists
• Community Health Officers
• Medical Laboratory Scientists and Technicians
• Environmental Health Officers and Technologists
• Health Information Management Officers
• Health Education and Promotion Officers
The application portal, accessible at https://lasgphcb.com.ng/sp/recruitment/, will remain open from 1st to 14th October 2025.
The Board emphasised that no fees are required, warning applicants to avoid anyone demanding payment for recruitment.
Lingering Healthcare Gaps in Riverine Communities
Beyond Ibeshe, the report also highlighted the plight of residents in Irede Onigbanko, where a dispensary built in the 1970s during the Lateef Jakande administration was demolished in 2012 under the Ibrahim Tunde Sanusi-led Ori-Ade LCDA for reconstruction. However, the project was abandoned in 2013, leaving the community without access to a functioning health facility.
Despite the existence of an uncompleted building, the Lagos State Ministry of Health website still lists Irede as having a “Health Post.”
In Ibasa, residents claimed that in 2020, the member representing Amuwo-Odofin Constituency II, Mr. Rauf Suleiman, promised to help facilitate a new health centre if the community donated land. They said they offered two plots and submitted the documents, but the project never commenced. Some alleged that the lawmaker redirected the proposed facility to his own community, Ikaare.
At Ikaare, documents from the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency, titled “Letter of Award Registered for January 2023,” revealed that ₦253,889,534.51 was allocated for constructing a PHC. However, during the investigation, only the perimeter fencing had been completed.
When contacted, Mr. Suleiman explained that construction was stalled due to the economic downturn and rising costs of materials, but assured that work would resume before the end of the year.
You can read the second part of the investigation here
Impact of Investigative Journalism
The government’s swift response underscores the power of investigative journalism in promoting accountability and catalysing policy reform.
Lawal’s report not only amplified the voices of marginalised communities but also prompted concrete action from the Lagos State Government.
“This is what journalism for impact means, turning community struggles into policy action,” said Mayowa Adeniran, a health communication expert, while reacting to the development.
This development highlights the crucial role of solution-driven reporting and media advocacy in improving public health outcomes, particularly in underserved communities across Lagos State.
Lawal affirmed that she would continue to monitor the recruitment and deployment process to ensure that new personnel are posted to Ibeshe PHC and other affected riverine areas receive adequate attention.
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