Lagos State has taken a bold step towards strengthening its health system, with policymakers, development partners, and experts converging at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa-Ikeja, to commemorate World Health Day 2026.
The high-level symposium focused on science-driven solutions, with the theme “Together for Health. Stand with Science: The Role of Scientific Collaboration in Protecting Human, Animal, Plant, and Planetary Health”.
Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, revealed that Lagos is deepening reforms by deploying science, data, and innovation to strengthen health systems and improve outcomes.
The state has introduced rapid diagnostic testing, reducing malaria positivity rates in public facilities from 60% to 5%, and is expanding health insurance coverage, strengthening public-private partnerships, and increasing health spending to 15% of the state budget.
The symposium emphasized the importance of collaboration in addressing Nigeria’s health challenges, with stakeholders urging increased investment in research and innovation, and stronger international collaboration to support African-led science.
