LASG Hands Over Upgraded Facility in Yaba to LASUCOM for Faculty of Pharmacy

The Lagos State Government has officially handed over the upgraded facility at the Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH), Yaba, to the Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM) to house its Faculty of Pharmacy.

The handover ceremony held yesterday, Tuesday, October 6, 2026, exactly one year after a Lagos State delegation inspected the project to expand the College through establishment of satellite campuses at Yaba and Gbagada.

It will be recalled that on October 10, 2025, the delegation comprising the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Mr. Tolani Sule, the immediate past Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, and the Provost of LASUCOM, Prof. Olufemi Idowu, inspected the projects aimed at enhancing the College's capacity.

With completion of the Yaba project, the facility is now ready to serve as academic base for the Faculty of Pharmacy.

Speaking at the handover, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, noted that upgraded facilities and expansion of LASUCOM's educational infrastructure would enhance the State's capacity to train more healthcare professionals to meet public health needs.

Prof. Abayomi commended the supervising agency, the Lagos State Infrastructure Asset Management Agency (LASIAMA), and the project contractor for delivering the project on time and in line with state government standards and guidelines.

He noted that deficit in the health sector is largely due to the "Japa syndrome" and underproduction of health professionals. According to him, to address the challenge, Lagos State Government has adopted a strategy of producing more healthcare professionals and attracting those who have left Nigeria to return, thereby turning brain drain to brain gain.

"This can be achieved by providing more facilities and disciplines for them to come back to with the skills they have acquired," he said.

In his remarks, the Provost of the College, Prof. Olufemi Idowu, thanked the Commissioner for Health and by extension the Lagos State Government for its continuous support and oversight.

He described the handover as a significant milestone in the growth of the College, stating that completion of the Yaba facility would directly expand capacity for pharmacy education and strengthen academic platform for future cohorts of students.

Prof. Idowu assured government that the College would work towards ensuring smooth integration of the Faculty into the new environment.

With the Yaba project now completed and work on the Gbagada satellite campus progressing, the College is expected to improve accessibility, reduce pressure on existing lecture and laboratory spaces, and provide a stronger learning environment for students and staff.