Ogun State risks a healthcare collapse as just 1,200 doctors serve an estimated nine million residents, the Ogun chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association said. That ratio, about one physician per 7,500 people, falls far short of the workforce the association says the state needs.
The NMA disclosed the figures at a press conference in Abeokuta to announce activities for the 2026 NMA Week and Annual General Meeting, whose theme is "Protecting Healthcare Providers: Addressing Violence Against Doctors and Strengthening a Safe Healthcare System." Chairman Dr Luqman Ogunjinmi warned the shortfall has been aggravated by continued migration of medical personnel abroad.
Ogunjinmi said the state requires between 5,000 and 10,000 doctors to meet demand, adding that the current 1,200 who remain are trying to fill the gap under difficult conditions. He cited repeated harassment and arrests of doctors, particularly in border communities such as Ota, Mowe and Ogijo, and criticised security agencies for prosecuting clinical matters that the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria is meant to handle.
The association has intervened in cases where physicians were detained after patient deaths, and it insists professional regulators should lead investigations before criminal action. Ogunjinmi said physicians face intimidation from members of the public and in some instances from security personnel, and that such attacks contribute to the ongoing brain drain.
On welfare and policy, the NMA praised Governor Dapo Abiodun for approving and implementing the Professional Allowance Table and Specialist Allowance for doctors, but said more steps are needed. The chapter asked the state government to harmonise taxes on private medical practitioners and to sustain improvements in primary healthcare centres, while acknowledging some recent upgrades.
The association has launched legal actions in certain assault cases and plans to intensify public education through radio, print and social media to discourage violence against healthcare workers. "We try our best to provide quality healthcare, but we are not God," Ogunjinmi said, urging the public and government to protect clinicians who have chosen to remain in the country.
World Health Organization benchmarks point to a much lower doctor to patient ratio than what exists in many Nigerian states, the NMA noted, and professional groups warn the combined pressure of migration, poor welfare and insecurity is eroding access to quality care. The Ogun chapter's next steps include the 2026 AGM and continued advocacy for better protection, staffing and support for doctors across the state.
