Nigeria’s healthcare system is facing numerous challenges, including inadequate infrastructure, corruption, and a shortage of skilled healthcare professionals.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that these issues have resulted in a decline in the quality of care, leading to poor health outcomes and a general distrust of the system.
Nigeria’s healthcare system needs integrity restored.
In Kaduna State, several residents have expressed concerns regarding the numerous challenges affecting Nigeria’s healthcare system.
They include expired drugs, obsolete equipment, and negligence by medical personnel, leading to misdiagnosis and death.
They also listed the other challenges to include inadequate funding, poor regulation, and inefficient supply chain management are root causes of the problems.
They complained, “The healthcare sector is severely underfunded while it is lacking the direly needed human and material resources.”
David Kure received an incorrect HIV diagnosis at a Kaduna hospital due to the use of expired equipment. He stated that he subsequently underwent three consecutive tests to verify his status.
He said, “Health workers’ poor attitude is another major issue.
“Nurses in government hospitals are often rude and unprofessional, exacerbating the problems facing the healthcare system.
“The stakeholders must work together to improve funding, strengthen regulation, and promote accountability.
A comprehensive strategy is necessary to tackle the issues confronting the healthcare system.
“Medical personnel, pharmacists, and policymakers must collaborate to ensure access to quality healthcare services.”
Kure emphasized the need for strong accountability for negligence and misconduct.
He added, “The healthcare system’s challenges require a collective effort to resolve.
“Stakeholders must prioritize resource allocation, transparency, and accountability to improve healthcare services in Nigeria.
“Nigeria’s healthcare system is one of the weakest in Africa, with inadequate infrastructure, equipment, and personnel.
” This has led to a high mortality rate and low life expectancy.
“The country’s healthcare system is also plagued by corruption, with medical personnel and hospital administrators embezzling funds meant for healthcare services.”
According to Kure, patients often must pay out-of-pocket for medical services, including surgeries and medications.
He said,” This has led to a high number of untreated illnesses and deaths.
“The lack of healthcare infrastructure in rural areas has also exacerbated the problems facing the healthcare system.
” Many rural communities lack access to basic healthcare services.
“Healthcare workers in Nigeria are also poorly trained and equipped to handle complex medical cases.
“This has led to a high number of medical errors and misdiagnoses.”
Most of the respondents posited that the country’s healthcare system is also plagued by a shortage of medical personnel, including doctors, Nurses, and Pharmacists.
They said that this has led to a high workload for existing healthcare workers.
“Nigeria’s healthcare system is also heavily reliant on donor funding, which is often unpredictable and unsustainable.
“This has led to a lack of continuity in healthcare services.
The healthcare system suffers from insufficient data and research, hindering improvements in services.
“Efforts to reform the healthcare system have been slow and ineffective, with many stakeholders resisting change.
” This has led to a lack of progress in improving healthcare services.
“The healthcare system’s challenges have also had a significant impact on the economy, “they added.
According to them, many businesses and industries affected by the lack of access to quality healthcare services.
They mentioned, “There are also issues of accountability within the country’s healthcare system, as many healthcare workers and hospital administrators are not consistently held responsible for their actions.”
“Patients and their families often must resort to seeking medical attention abroad, which is often expensive and inaccessible to many Nigerians.
“The healthcare system’s challenges have also led to a brain drain, with many healthcare workers emigrating to other countries in search of better working conditions and opportunities.
Ongoing efforts to address healthcare system challenges need support from all stakeholders, including the government, healthcare workers, and patients. “
In Katsina State, some victims of wrong diagnosis, tests results interpretation and prescription of drugs by some medical personnel in health facilities, have urged the government to intensify efforts in addressing the problem.
They made the complaint in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Katsina.
The victims said that the call has become imperative in view of increasing rate at which, those problems reoccurring in health facilities in the country.
According to them, such problems sometimes lead to the death of the victims, hence the need for both the federal and state governments to hasten taking measures to address the menace.
Alhaji Haruna Umar was diagnosed with fluid accumulation between his stomach and chest at a tertiary health facility, affecting his health.
He said that he paid for all the tests and for the theatre.
“I underwent surgery only to find out it wasn’t the actual problem.”
“Instead, they observed another problem in my stomach, they did another operation, same time. Alhaji Haruna Umar was diagnosed at a state health facility. He had fluid accumulation between his stomach and chest, affecting his health.
“I suffered a lot. Many people doubted I’d survive after spending about two months in the hospital.”
“My family also spent a lot of money. It just a bad and terrible experience.
“It was after a month, when I regained my conscious that the team leader who happens to be a consultant, informed me all what happened during the period.
“He apologised to me, and I pardoned them,” he said.
He therefore urged the government hasten taking measures in checking the problem.
Umar also urged the government to force such facilities to pay some compensation to victims to serve as deterrent and reduce the financial burden on the victim’s relatives.
Another victim, Alhaji Lawal Abdullahi, said that he knows he cannot walk with his two legs due to wrong operation on his knee.
An orthopaedic consultant performed the procedure at a private clinic.
According to him, he spent huge amount of money, but the problem persisted.
He said that hitherto the operation, he can manage to walk with his legs, but since the operation, he can’t do anything with the leg.
He stated that he was in a wheelchair.
“I was recommended to travel to Egypt for an additional medical procedure, which I subsequently undertook.” They tried their best, but due to the initial problem created during the first operation, up to now things never become normal.
“As you can see me now, I can walk little, my knee still has problem. He expressed his uncertainty about what to do next due to feeling exhausted from the operation.
Abdullahi called on the intensify efforts in equipping healthcare facilities with modern machines for effective service delivery.
Health expert Mr. Ibrahim Musa advised the federal and state governments to prioritize training and retraining health personnel.
He said that would assist greatly in addressing some of those problems reoccurring in the health facilities in the country.
He also advised the government to put some penalties against any facility found with such wrong doings.
Healthcare experts in Kano State urge the government to address negligence impacting healthcare quality.
The experts, in a separate interview with the News Agency of Nigeria said that various issues plaguing the system, including the widespread use of obsolete medical equipment and the improper interpretation of diagnostic data.
They also lamented that some healthcare professionals are guilty of negligence and carelessness in attending to patients further exacerbating the crisis.
These lapses, the experts argued, have resulted in a decline in patient safety and public trust in the healthcare system.
An expert in Community Health, Dr Ghali Nura, emphasized the urgent need for reform and total overhaul of the sector.
“The health sector is at a critical juncture.
“If we do not act now to update our medical equipment, address the issue of expired drugs, and ensure the competency of healthcare personnel, we risk a major public health crisis,” he said.
Dr. Bashir Shaza, a public health analyst, stressed the need for better oversight and stricter regulations.
“It is troubling to see that some medical institutions continue to operate outdated machines that cannot provide accurate test results.
“This not only affects diagnosis but can lead to wrong treatments, which are detrimental to patient outcomes,” he stated.
Ali Muhammad, a public affairs commentator, called on the government to allocate more resources to the healthcare sector.
He also called on the government at all levels to focus on the procurement of modern medical equipment, improved training for healthcare personnel, and stricter enforcement of regulations to prevent the circulation of expired drugs.
Muhammad also urged the government to improve transparency and accountability within healthcare institutions to restore public confidence.
A resident of Yankaba in Nasarawa Local Government Area, Musa Isa, called for a more efficient and accessible healthcare system in the state.
He cited the growing concerns over long waiting times, limited medical facilities, and a lack of essential services particularly in rural areas.
Another resident of Zoo Road in Tarauni Local Government Area, Malama Aisha Inuwa, said that the state needs better healthcare facilities, more doctors, and more affordable services for everyone.
“We need healthcare that is affordable and that will work for us, not just in theory, but in reality,” she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Kano State Government had allocated N90.6billion for the health sector in 2025 budget.
NAN
