News:Lagos govt converts COVID-19 isolation centre to LASUCOM
The Lagos State Government has converted its COVID-19 isolation centre to an annex of the Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM).
The facility, the former CACOVID Centre at Mainland Hospital, Yaba, was handed over after renovation by the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, on Tuesday.
Abayomi said the conversion is part of the state's strategy to expand health training and tackle the shortage of healthcare workers caused by japa and low local production.
The repurposed centre will serve as an annex of LASUCOM with focus on the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences. The new annex adds 315 laboratory positions, 520 lecture seats and 169 seminar seats to the college.
According to the commissioner, Lagos is targeting an increase in annual healthcare training intake from fewer than 500 to about 2,500 within the next four to five years. The state plans to achieve this under its "Brain Gain" initiative by maximising existing infrastructure across general hospitals and primary healthcare centres.
The facility was originally built in 2020 as an isolation centre during the COVID-19 pandemic and became underutilised after the emergency. The State Executive Council approved its renovation and expansion in December 2024, with work starting in March 2025.
Abayomi added that Lagos is also pursuing a standalone University of Medicine and Health Sciences to further expand medical education and research.
The move is seen as a shift from emergency response to long-term health system strengthening, turning a pandemic legacy structure into a permanent investment in training pharmacists, doctors and other health professionals for the state.
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