Prof. Akin Abayomi: Steering the State's Health Policy

Professor Akin Abayomi serves as the Honourable Commissioner for Health for Lagos State, one of the most critical and challenging executive positions in Nigeria, given Lagos's high population density and status as the country's epicentre for public health issues. A highly respected professional, Prof. Abayomi is a specialist in internal medicine, haematology, environmental health, and biobanking, bringing a formidable academic and practical background to the role. His appointment signals a clear governmental commitment to leveraging high-level scientific expertise to tackle the complex health demands of a megacity.

His tenure has been defined by a concerted effort to overhaul and modernize the Lagos State healthcare system, focusing on infrastructure, capacity building, and digital integration. A key area of emphasis has been the implementation of the Lagos State Health Scheme (LSHS), aimed at achieving universal health coverage for all residents, regardless of socio-economic status. This initiative requires complex coordination and management to ensure that quality primary, secondary, and tertiary care is accessible and affordable across the state’s massive network of public health facilities. His strategy involves decentralized care, enhancing Primary Health Care (PHC) centres to serve as the first point of contact for the majority of the populace.

​Perhaps the most globally visible and defining period of Prof. Abayomi’s service was during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the Commissioner for Health in the state that recorded the first case in Sub-Saharan Africa, he became the public face of Lagos State's response. His leadership during this crisis was widely praised for its transparency, data-driven approach, and rapid scaling of testing, isolation, and treatment capacity. He spearheaded the coordination between public and private sectors to manage the influx of cases, often providing daily scientific updates and public health advisories that were crucial in managing public anxiety and implementing necessary containment measures.

​Beyond pandemic management, Prof. Abayomi’s office is heavily focused on long-term, non-communicable disease (NCD) control, environmental health, and addressing endemic infectious diseases like malaria and tuberculosis. Lagos’s rapid urbanization brings unique health challenges related to pollution, stress, and lifestyle diseases. The Commissioner is actively involved in strengthening the state’s capacity for surveillance, disease mapping, and health promotion to mitigate these modern threats. Furthermore, his background in biobanking is instrumental in advocating for the establishment of advanced research and sample storage facilities to aid local medical science.

Prof. Akin Abayomi’s role is that of a complex health administrator, a crisis manager, and a medical innovator, tasked with steering the public health destiny of over 20 million people. His impact is seen in the professionalization of the state's health messaging, the expansion of its health insurance system, and the overall improved readiness of Lagos to handle large-scale health crises. He represents the kind of specialized, technocratic leadership that is vital for managing the colossal and continuous health demands of a true African megacity.