Health
My Encounter with a Nigerian Healthcare Professional
By Jerome-Mario Utomi
This piece stemmed from an unusual occurrence/event which glaringly did more than anything else to support the claim by well-meaning Nigerians that a healthcare professional does not feel bound to seriously observe basic standards of care or are generally unwilling to accept responsibility for their failure to deliver expected quality services.
It was an extract of a mental account on Saturday, November 6, 2021, at Ketu Lagos, where/when my son Pascal Onyinyechukukwu Utomi (now late) suffered a health crisis. To assist the innocent boy arrest the troubling reality, we (myself, the mother/my wife and a very good neighbour), went to one of the private hospitals in the neighbourhood. The hospital gate was firmly locked and understandable as it was dead in the night.
To get the needed attention, I thus pleaded: please help! Help!! Help!!! Emergency! Emergency!! Emergency!!! Some minutes later, one of the hospital’s personnel walked but leisurely towards us. Without getting close to the gate or enquires what the situation was, he, to our astonishment initiated the following conversation;
It will cost you a certain amount to obtain the hospital card. I responded; no problem. He again fired; you need to pay another Naira as a deposit (this time around mentioning a bigger amount). Yet again, I responded, no problem. And the next statement he uttered was; can I have the money? Looking at the time, to meet this demand, I pleaded that he assists me with the hospital’s account number to make the transfer or better still allow me to pay with my ATM card/POS as I do not have much cash on me.
At this point, I received what met the criteria of unimaginable and unexpected response!
Let’s listen to him; we cannot accept transfer/POS at this time of the night. Besides, our Oga (boss) who will confirm the transaction alert/notification is not here and we don’t have the power to wake him from his sleep.
So, can I pay cash tomorrow morning, I queried? No, he responded. Then, what is the way forward? We cannot help, he declared.
With this concluding statement and without consideration to the dying innocent boy, he slowly left us in the cold to our fate and walked back to the main building where he firmly locked the door.
We were left with no other option than to move to another hospital where he finally got admitted but the experience/services were not too different from the first.
Indeed, while the above accounts typify one out of millions of unavailability of quality services, failure of oversight and the impunity of healthcare professionals in both private and public healthcare sector in Nigeria, using the right to health as thematic focal points, there are ingrained reasons that render such development as not just a crisis but paint the public and private health operators in the country as both inefficient and culprits of poor health care providers.
First, the questions that are as important as the piece itself are; what has happened to the strengthened accountability mechanisms relevant to healthcare delivery in Nigeria? How can the nation ensure greater responsibility and accountability of healthcare facilities and professionals in the country? Which one should come first when considering treatment of patents, monetary gain or burning desire to save lives? If it is a desire to save lives, why are medical operators in the country so insensitive to the plights of Nigerians? Why are governments at all levels in Nigeria reputed for poor funding of the health sector?
Have medical professionals in the country forgotten that maximum/quality services provided with efficiency and under the cost-effective arrangement are more profitable than abnormal or counterfeit services as currently witnessed by Nigerians?
Also troubling is the fact that our nation’s health institutions (both private and public) are still unmindful of the fact that serving the people is a serious responsibility and the people involved must abide by the code of conduct and strive to remain within certain limits. This goal should be achieved in an environment of positive and fair competition. They must provide Nigerians with the opportunity to access quality health services without falling prey to fake or any unlawful service or practices.
Talking about the right to health, it is worth mentioning that Nigeria voluntarily assumed obligations to respect, promote, protect and fulfil the right to health under major regional and international human rights instruments, including the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
As noted elsewhere, by the Revised National Policy on Health (2004), “health and access to quality and affordable healthcare is a human right”.
It declares further that “a high level of efficiency and accountability shall be maintained in the development and management of the national health system.”
In its declaration of commitment, the policy asserts that “the people of this nation have the right to participate individually and collectively in the planning and implementation of their healthcare . . . this is not only their right but also their solemn duty.”
So, why is it that these principles and values are yet to permeate the “development and management” of healthcare planning and delivery systems? It is a lamentable development that many healthcare professionals and institutions lack knowledge of the existence of the policy let alone the ideas, principles, targets and expectations that the policy embodies.
This is not the only concern about the nation’s health sector. There are others that are more government-specific in outlook.
Take, as an illustration, Nigerians are particularly not happy that the capital flight lost to medical tourism in one year by Nigerians is huge enough to build a world-class hospital in this country that can attend to these needs, create employment, bring back the array of Nigerian medical specialists littered the world over and bring foreign earnings to our nation’s coffers.
They are not happy that the same medical tourism which in 2017 alone kept our dear president away for about 150 days is left without anything dramatic done to redress or forestall such future occurrence.
And sadly, Nigerians will continue to ‘cry’ because they are tired of going through this state-sponsored human degradation.
It will, however, be of considerable significance to this discussion if the FG realizes that globally, there is no codified principle for lifting a nation from poverty to prosperity. All that is needed is for the FG to go the extra mile to accelerate economic development, social progress and get deeply committed to developing strategies that will guarantee the protection of lives and property of Nigerians while holding health workers (private and public) accountable for their professional misdeed.
Jerome-Mario Utomi, Programme Coordinator (Media and Public Policy), Social and Economic Justice Advocacy (SEJA), wrote from Lagos. He could be reached via je*********@***oo.com or 08032725374.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Over 500 residents of Ajegunle in Lagos enjoyed free healthcare services, comprehensive health education, youth mentorship, and community engagement activities at a one-day event organised by Queens Palm Support Initiative (QPSI).
This is part of the organisation’s Reach 1000 Initiative, deliberately designed to address immediate healthcare needs and empower individuals with the knowledge, resources, and support required to live healthier, more productive, and dignified lives.
QPSI is a non-profit organisation established by Ms Sabrina Ozma dedicated to advancing community development, healthcare advocacy, youth empowerment, leadership education, and social impact interventions across Nigeria. Fou
At the Ajegunle programme held at Bola Ige Millennium School, Tolu Complex, participants received a comprehensive range of healthcare services facilitated by accredited medical professionals, including general medical consultations and health assessments, malaria screening, diagnosis and treatment, blood sugar testing and diabetes awareness, comprehensive eye examinations and vision assessments, as well as specialist neurosurgical consultations provided by medical experts from Dukes Neurosurgery and Specialist Hospital.
Also, Reals Pharmaceutical Limited provided and distributed antimalarial medications to beneficiaries, ensuring continuity of treatment and improved health outcomes beyond the day of the outreach.
Ms Ozma, while speaking at the event, said access to quality healthcare remains one of the most pressing challenges confronting underserved communities across Nigeria.
According to her, interventions such as the Reach 1000 Initiative are deliberately designed to close this gap, not only by addressing immediate healthcare needs but by empowering individuals with the knowledge, resources, and support required to live healthier, more productive, and dignified lives.
Beyond healthcare delivery, the initiative featured structured health education and awareness sessions focused on disease prevention and early symptom recognition, personal hygiene and sanitation best practices, nutrition and food safety, healthy lifestyle habits, and the importance of routine medical check-ups.
In addition, a media personality and youth advocate, Ms Blessing Lopez, led engaging conversations around personal growth, confidence, and purpose-driven living, while entertainer Larry J inspired participants through discussions on resilience, positive decision-making, and the importance of becoming active contributors to societal progress.
The programme also attracted notable participation from government institutions and civil society organisations, highlighting the importance of multi-sector collaboration in addressing community challenges.
The Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, engaged participants on safeguarding, protection against domestic and sexual violence, and the importance of building safer communities.
Further, representatives of the Cleen Foundation facilitated discussions on crime prevention, community security, and the role of young people in promoting civic responsibility and the rule of law, while the Crime Prevention Partnership (CPP) led discussions on community-led safety strategies and citizen participation in fostering safer neighbourhoods.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The federal government has urged global investors and innovators to tap into the Nigerian healthcare ecosystem, which is projected to grow by 7.1 per cent, reaching a market value of $161.7 million by 2027.
This advice was given by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Mr Isiaq Salako, at the opening of the World Health Expo (WHX in Lagos 2026), formerly known as Medic West Africa, on Tuesday in Lagos.
The broader West African market is expected to reach more than $11 billion, providing investors with an opportunity to get a good return on investment.
“Nigeria is open for healthcare investment. We want platforms like WHX in Lagos to serve as a critical conduit for translating this investment ambition into tangible technology access for our hospitals and patients,” the Minister, who declared the event open on behalf of President Bola Tinubu, said.
He praised the organisers of the expo, which welcomed over 8,000 healthcare professionals and 500 exhibitors spanning 40 countries, for growing the programme into a vital catalyst for West African healthcare transformation.
Addressing the stark reality that between 85 per cent and 99 per cent of medical equipment and in vitro diagnostics in West Africa are currently imported, Mr Salako outlined aggressive federal interventions designed to dismantle supply chain vulnerabilities and skyrocket local manufacturing capabilities.
He also spotlighted key presidential directives, including the Presidential Initiative to Unlock Healthcare Value Chains (PVAC) and the Presidential Executive Order for the Pharmaceutical and Allied Sectors, both engineered to catalyse health security, drive economic growth, and generate employment through strategic private-sector collaborations and Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).
“Our commitment to improving access to modern equipment and technologies in hospitals is backed by concrete action. The government has inaugurated the $1.2 billion Sector-Wide Approach (SWAP) initiative, a comprehensive overhaul addressing financing, workforce development, and infrastructure.
“Furthermore, for the 2025 fiscal year, the Federal Government committed N402 billion specifically for health sector infrastructure investment,” he stated, also highlighting an expansive health infrastructure upgrade program in partnership with the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA).
According to him, this phased initiative is actively delivering oncology and nuclear medicine centres across six tertiary hospitals, alongside establishing 22 modern medical diagnostic centres, seven cardiac catheterisation laboratories, and expanded radiology and clinical pathology capabilities distributed across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
Also speaking, the chief executive of EHA Clinics, Dr Ifunanya Ilodibe, stressed the urgent need to support and unify fragmented growth within the healthcare system, noting that WHX serves as the precise ecosystem platform required to bring together policymakers, clinicians, and investors to move actionable strategies forward.
Also, the President of the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria (HFN) and Country Director of PharmAccess, Njide Ndili, said, “HFN bridges the gaps in health financing, opening up critical connections to achieve true health sovereignty,” praising Africa CDC’s historical intervention, particularly during the Ebola crisis and urged participants to utilise the WHX exhibition floor to forge collaborations capable of scaling locally produced medical equipment.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Mr Akin Abayomi, on his part, highlighted the enforcement of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Act in Lagos State as a landmark regulatory milestone. The Act mandates health insurance for all residents, structuring the financial environment to guarantee medical protection across various socioeconomic levels.
Delivering the keynote address, the Special Regional Representative of the Director General of the Africa CDC Western Regional Coordinating Centre, Prof. Aliko Ahmed, called on leaders in geopolitical positions to enact liberating trade policies aligned with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to shape the continental agenda, emphasising that the Africa CDC will fiercely prioritise building trust in locally manufactured healthcare products.
WHX in Lagos 2026 runs for three days, featuring accredited forums, cutting-edge product showcases, and high-level networking tracks designed to translate billions in public and private investment into immediate technology access for hospitals and patients.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The coroner’s inquest into the death of 21-month-old Nkanu Adichie-Esege, son of renowned author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, suffered a major setback on Wednesday after Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital informed the coroner’s court that it had obtained an order of the Lagos State High Court staying further proceedings in the probe.
The matter came before Coroner Magistrate Atinuke Adetunji at Court 9, Igbosere Magisterial District, Yaba, Lagos, and was scheduled for the commencement of witness’ testimony.
Counsel to Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital, Professor Taiwo Osipitan (SAN), told the court that the hospital had initiated judicial review proceedings challenging, among other issues, the jurisdiction of the Coroner’s Court to conduct the inquest in the absence of the deceased’s body.
He disclosed that the High Court had granted leave for the judicial review application and ordered that the leave operate as a stay of proceedings pending the determination of the suit.
The senior advocate also informed the court that although the Lagos State Attorney-General’s Office denied seeing the originating processes from the High Court, proof of service was available.
Responding on behalf of the family, Mr Kemi Pinheiro (SAN) confirmed receipt of both the originating processes and the High Court order.
While acknowledging the obligation of all parties to comply with court orders, he informed the coroner that the family had already filed four witness statements on oath, including that of Dr Ivara Esege, as well as statements from independent medical experts from Nigeria and the United States, who are expected to testify at the inquest.
Mr Pinheiro urged the court not to adjourn the matter indefinitely, but to a definite date after the court vacation to enable parties to report on developments in the High Court proceedings.
He also highlighted the need for transparency and public confidence in the fact-finding process, saying, “He who is innocent does not fear an open inquest.”
Counsel representing Atlantis Paediatric Hospital supported the request for a definite adjournment rather than an indefinite postponement.
Following submissions by counsel, the Coroner adjourned the matter until October 8, 2026, for a report on the status of the High Court proceedings.
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