The Nigerian Medical Association in Lagos State has urged the government to upgrade all Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs). The state chairman, Babajide Saheed, said each PHC should be fully equipped and have at least one medical doctor to serve local communities effectively.

Saheed explained that many residents, especially in crowded and low-income areas, still lack access to nearby health facilities. He noted that this forces people to travel far distances or rely on poor-quality care, increasing pressure on secondary and tertiary hospitals.

According to him, Lagos has 376 wards, and each ward should ideally have a standard PHC. He expressed concern over uneven distribution of doctors, saying some centres have several physicians while others operate without any doctor at all.

The NMA chairman stressed that strong primary healthcare is key to early treatment and disease prevention. He also encouraged the state government to partner with private hospitals to expand affordable services and reduce congestion in major hospitals.