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Special Report: Inside Story of Nigeria’s Deteriorating Health System

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6 months ago

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

In June 3, 2025, a female patient admitted to the National Hospital, Abuja, battled with her life before giving up the ghost. It was not because she was brought into the hospital late, rather, it was due to shortage of staff at the said hospital.

In the presence of the deceased children, other patients in the same ward, and their visitors, the deceased struggled nearly 3 hours while doctors and medical staff that were supposed to be on duty that very night were no where to be found.

The children and the husband of the deceased, in their helpless state, made arrangements and took the remains of her from the hospital.

The other patients in the ward were visibly angry for such incident to have happened while there could possibly be a way to keep the woman alive if the staff on duty were available.

This incident took place from 11pm on the 2 of June to some minutes after 2am in the morning of the 3 of June, 2025, at the female ward of the National Hospital, Abuja.

While the incident was ongoing, our correspondent was present at the ward because his mother was also admitted to the hospital.

Out of curiosity, and in a quest to get answers to some disturbing questions relating to the ugly incident, the journalist headed to the office of the Medical Director of the hospital. Although, he was told by the Director’s personal assistant that he was not on seat, that he should come back after Eid-ul- Adha celebration.

However, the journalist was fortunate enough to have answers to some of the questions from one of the senior medical staff of the hospital.

What Were The Questions, And What Were The Answers?

From the journalist’s observation that very night at the female ward of the hospital, there were shortages of medical equipment, and the ones available were of no standard and quality.

So, he asked the medical staff why there was such situation in a hospital as National Hospital, the response was that the hospital Management has, severally, written to the health ministry for a well thought out revamping measures for the hospital. But each time such letter is being written, the Management either get “we are on it” response or silence from the ministry.

Also, among the questions was the reason for staff being unavailable on duty. The response was that the nation at large, not only the hospital, is experiencing brain drain in the health sector, and that is affecting the effective operations of the hospital every now and then.

He further explained that it might be that those on duty that very night might be attending to some other patients in other wards at the same time that period. A situation, he said, wouldn’t be possible for two or three staff to handle.

The journalist, after the session with the man, arrived at a conclusion that the government is not doing enough in the health sector of the country.

In another news, on the 7th of January, 2026, news broke that the son of one of the Nigeria’s finest writers, Chimamanda Adichie, dir4fed in a hospital in Lagos due to negligence of the medical staff attending to the child.

In a statement, Adichie said her son was taken to Euracare Hospital for an MRI scan and the insertion of a central line, during which he was sedated but was not properly monitored after being administered propofol, leading to complications including loss of responsiveness, seizures, and cardiac arrest.

“We brought in a child who was unwell but stable and scheduled to travel the next day. We came to conduct basic procedures. And suddenly, our beautiful little boy was gone forever. It is like living your worst nightmare. I will never survive the loss of my child,” she wrote.

“We were in Lagos for Christmas. Nkanu had what we first thought was just a cold, but soon turned into a very serious infection and he was admitted to Atlantis hospital.”

“He was to travel to the US the next day, January 7th, accompanied by Travelling Doctors. A team at Johns Hopkins was waiting to receive him in Baltimore. The Hopkins team had asked for a lumbar puncture test and an MRI. The Nigerian team had also decided to put in a ‘central line’ (used to administer iv medications) in preparation for Nkanu’s flight. Atlantis hospital referred us to Euracare Hospital, which was said to be the best place to have the procedures done.

“The morning of the 6th, we left Atlantis hospital for Euracare, Nkanu carried in his father’s arms. We were told he would need to be sedated to prevent him from moving during the MRI and the ‘central line’ procedure.

“I was waiting just outside the theater. I saw people, including Dr M, rushing into the theater and immediately knew something had happened.

“A short time later, Dr M came out and told me Nkanu had been given too much propofol by the anesthesiologist, had become unresponsive and was quickly resuscitated. But suddenly Nkanu was on a ventilator, he was intubated and placed in the ICU. The next thing I heard was that he had seizures. Cardiac arrest. All these had never happened before. Some hours later, Nkanu was gone.

“It turns out that Nkanu was NEVER monitored after being given too much propofol. The anesthesiologist had just casually carried Nkanu on his shoulder to the theater, so nobody knows when exactly Nkanu became unresponsive.

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“How can you sedate a sick child and neglect to monitor him? Later, after the ‘central line’ procedure, the anesthesiologist casually switched off Nkanu’s oxygen and again decided to carry him on his shoulder to the ICU!

“The anesthesiologist was CRIMINALLY negligent. He was fatally casual and careless with the precious life of a child. No proper protocol was followed,” parts of her statements read.

Adichie further disclosed that they have gathered that the same anesthesiologist has been carrying out same style of medication on different children that had been brought there for care.

“We have now heard about two previous cases of this same anesthesiologist overdosing children. Why did Euracare allow him to keep working? This must never happen to another child.”

Commenting on this incident, a Yola-based anesthesiologist, Dr. Raji Bello, expressed sympathy on the passing of Adichie’s son, and avoided commenting on the said negligence of the involved doctor. But he emphasized that the medical procedures involved are generally safe when performed by trained professionals, cautioning against public misunderstanding of isolated tragedies.

“This is not true. Medications that are used in hospitals have already undergone rigorous approval processes and they are being used because they have been found to be safe in trained and experienced hands. Yes, some medications have been withdrawn after approval because of new information regarding safety but these instances are rare considering the total number of medications in use and it usually happens to medications that are relatively new,” Dr. Raji asserted.

“Propofol, MRI sedation and central line placement are all safe in trained and experienced hands. They have been linked to the death of this child not because they are inherently unsafe but because of specific associated circumstances which may not be applicable in other situations,” he added.

An introspection into the argument of Dr. Raji will reveal to one that the whole issue boils down to the country having trained, experienced, and competent hands to handle the health sector. And it further reveals again that the brain drain menace in which the country is facing is what resulted into quack and inexperienced medical personnels being left for the country to deal with.

Furthermore, lately there have been reports that patients across the Federal Capital Territory are expressing concerns over skeletal services in general hospitals, citing closed pharmacies, absent laboratory staff, and minimal attendance by medical personnel across various healthcare facilities in Abuja.

At Kubwa General Hospital, one Rotimi Raheem said on Thursday, January 8, 2026, that all hospital pharmacies were locked and that laboratory technicians were not on duty, leaving patients unable to access essential medical services.

Similarly, at Wuse General Hospital, according to News Agency of Nigeria, Ibeto Onakwe reported that medical workers at emergency units were largely absent, adding that only a few doctors were seen moving around without attending to patients’ urgent medical needs.

At Nyanya General Hospital, Idris Yahuri, said administrative officers responsible for issuing patient files were missing from their posts, making it impossible for patients to access old medical records when necessary for treatment.

Responding to the development, Adewale-Adeleye Premiere, president of the Association of Resident Doctors at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, said the shortages were primarily due to insufficient staffing across most hospitals in Abuja.

He warned that the exodus of health workers from the country was alarming, urging the government to act swiftly to prevent the healthcare system from being overwhelmed and medical services from collapsing.

“In my own centre, UATH, resident doctors used to number between 500 and 600, but currently there are only about 220 doctors, significantly reducing the hospital’s capacity to provide healthcare for patients across the Middle Belt,” he stated.

Mr Premiere added that many doctors left for countries such as the UK, Dubai, or Saudi Arabia, increasing workload pressure on those remaining and reducing the quality of healthcare delivery across federal medical institutions.

He warned that for every doctor who left, the burden on remaining staff increased exponentially, and though doctors were not currently on strike, they might consider industrial action to press for improved working conditions and support.

Talking about strike in the health sector of the country, this newspaper has observed that the other members in the health ministry aside resident doctors, JOHESU, is currently on strike. Part of their grievances is that the government is not paying attention to their welfarism. And that includes good pay or renumeration which in turn can discourage them from leaving the country just like those who have left.

JOHESU members—including nurses, pharmacists, laboratory scientists, and allied health professionals—are essential to hospital operations. Their absence critically weakens service delivery, even where emergency units remain open.

What Could Be The Solution To The Problems in Nigeria’s Health Sector?

Speaking with a health practitioner, Dr. Demola Ahmed, he suggested that the government should declare a state of emergency in the health sector, citing continuous cases of loss of lives due to either incompetence or shortages of staff.

He said when that is done the government should “establish a permanent, independent commission for health sector remuneration to prevent recurrent strikes and ensure sustainable revamping of infrastructural needs of hospitals in order to deliver quality services.”

Dr. Ahmed also mentioned that the commission to be established should also be responsible for sanctioning medical personnels in private hospitals that indulge negligence or that have been found guilty of such behavior.
“Just like Hisbah in Kano that has been established solely for monitoring and enforcing morality in the state, Nigeria’s health sector can come up with something like that to monitor hospitals and their activities so that orderliness can be revived and sustained,” he said.

The Cardiologist concluded by saying that sustained investment in both health workers and infrastructure in the hospitals across the country will be the only solution to ending brain drain, inefficient and inexperienced medical personnels, and taming of negligence.

 

 

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Breaking: President Tinubu Approves Establishment of Four New Divisions of the Nigerian Army, Bringing the Total to 12

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4 hours ago

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July 23, 2026

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army’s structure from eight to twelve divisions—a landmark move to enhance the country’s security architecture and improve the operational effectiveness of the Nigerian Army.

This approval underscores the President’s unwavering commitment to equipping the Armed Forces to address Nigeria’s evolving security challenges effectively and to strengthen national defence capabilities further.

The expansion builds on the Administration’s sustained investments in the Armed Forces, including approval for the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel, acquisition of critical military platforms and equipment, improvements in troop welfare, and ongoing support for operational readiness and force modernisation.

Under the new structure, the Nigerian Army will operate twelve divisions, strategically positioned across the country as follows:

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1. 1 Division Headquarters – Kaduna (Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa States)
2. 2 Division Headquarters – Ibadan (Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo States)
3. 3 Division Headquarters – Jos (Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe States)
4. 5 Division Headquarters – Makurdi (Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi States)
5. 6 Division Headquarters – Port Harcourt (Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States)
6. 7 Division Headquarters – Maiduguri (Borno and Yobe States)
7. 8 Division Headquarters – Sokoto (Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States)
8. 9 Division Headquarters – Ilorin (Kwara and Niger States)
9. 10 Division Headquarters – Jalingo (Taraba and Adamawa States)
10. 81 Division Headquarters – Lagos (Lagos and Ogun States)
11. 82 Division Headquarters – Enugu (Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo States)
12. 83 Division Headquarters – Benin City (Edo, Delta and Bayelsa States).

The establishment of the new Divisions in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City will significantly improve command and control, decentralise operational decision-making, strengthen border security, enhance the protection of critical national infrastructure, improve counter-insurgency and internal security operations, and ensure faster military response to emerging threats nationwide.

Implementation of the new force structure will be done in two phases. The first phase, covering the establishment of the 5, 9, and 10 Divisions and the reorganisation of existing formations, will be completed by September 2026. The second phase, involving the establishment of the 83 Division and further reorganisation, is expected to be completed by December 2026.

President Tinubu commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, and all officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army for their dedication, professionalism, and steadfast commitment to defending Nigeria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

In a statement by Bayo Onanuga Special adviser to the President on informational and strategy said the President reaffirmed his Administration’s determination to continue investing in the Armed Forces, ensuring they remain adequately equipped, highly motivated, and fully capable of protecting the nation and guaranteeing the safety and security of all Nigerians.

 

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Kano Online Media Chapel Honours Gov Abba Yusuf with Excellence Award

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8 hours ago

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July 23, 2026

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The Kano Online Media Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on Wednesday honoured the Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, with an Award of Excellence in recognition of his administration’s unwavering support for the media profession and commitment to strengthening journalism in the state.
The award presentation ceremony was held at the Council Chamber, Government House, Kano, in the presence of members of the Kano State Executive Council and other senior government officials.
The honour was conferred on Governor Yusuf in appreciation of his administration’s sustained partnership with the Kano Online Media Chapel, particularly for facilitating the training of more than 50 online journalists on modern and ethical news reporting, digital journalism, fact-checking, and emerging media technology

Receiving the award, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf expressed gratitude to the Kano Online Media Chapel for the recognition, describing it as an encouragement to do more in advancing media development in the state.
The Governor commended members of the Chapel for their professionalism and contributions to promoting truth, public awareness, and responsible journalism. He pledged that his administration would continue to support the Nigeria Union of Journalists and other media organisations through capacity-building initiatives and policies that strengthen the journalism profession.
Governor Yusuf also urged journalists to uphold the ethics of the profession by ensuring accuracy, fairness, and objectivity in their reports, emphasizing that credible journalism remains essential to good governance, peace, and sustainable development.

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Presenting the award, the Chairman of the Kano Online Media Chapel, NUJ, Comrade Abubakar Abdulkadir Dangambo, said the recognition was a reflection of Governor Yusuf’s outstanding contributions to media development and his administration’s consistent support for journalists.
Dangambo noted that the Governor’s investment in capacity building has equipped members of the Chapel with modern reporting skills, enabling them to meet the evolving demands of digital journalism while promoting professionalism, accuracy, and ethical reporting.
He expressed appreciation to the Governor for recognising the critical role of online media in promoting transparency, public enlightenment, and democratic governance, describing the award as a symbol of gratitude from journalists who have directly benefited from the administration’s media-friendly policies.

 

Earlier speaking, the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, commended the Kano Online Media Chapel for its dedication to promoting responsible journalism and professional excellence. He described the media as an indispensable partner in democratic governance, stressing that credible and ethical reporting remains vital to informing the public and supporting government accountability.

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Tinubu’s Projects In The North Are Traceable-Kwankwaso

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2 days ago

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July 22, 2026

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The Forum of Federal Government appointees from Kano under Senator Bashir Garba Lado, has strongly challenged opposition Leaders to showcase what they have on stock that they will do better than President Tinubu clear Developmental Projects, rather than negative criticism.

Speaking in a released, the Spokesperson of the Forum of the Federal Government appointees, Dr Musa Illiyasu Kwankwaso, said, Wednesday that, overtime the opposition leaders of Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi and others have not clearly spelled out their missions to Government but rather everyday they go one criticizing President Tinubu whose Projects across the Country and the North is specific can be clearly seen.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is executing a massive portfolio of infrastructure and developmental projects across Kano and Northern Nigeria, valued at trillions of Naira, spanning highways, railways, power, and agriculture, which an be touched and seen not mare baseless opposition”, Kwankwaso notes.

In trying to highlight some of the projects, Musa Illiyasu Kwankwaso, who is also the Executive Director Finance Hadejia Jammaare River Basin, fall under the “Renewed Hope” agenda, and in Kano alone there are more 30 of such projects.

Musa Illiyasu Kwankwaso believes that the Projects execution and the concern shown by the President on Kano and the entire North are worthy of given him heavy votes across Northern Nigeria that will secure his smooth 2nd Term in office.

He said that with the intervention of the President in Kano and other Northern Nigeria, he will have massive votes that awaits his reelection back to office comes 2027 in Kano and other Northern States.

He listed projects like the Kano–Kongolom Road, a major 132-kilometre, at N334 billion dualization and construction project aimed at connecting Kano with Jigawa and Katsina.

Similarly, Musa Illiyasu Kwankwaso explained that, the Abuja–Kaduna–Kano Expressway, a Massive ongoing reconstruction utilizing durable continuous reinforced concrete pavement technology with added security enhancements like
In the same vein, the Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway, a colossal 1,068-kilometre, six-lane economic corridor that will integrate a rail line in the median, greatly connecting Northern regions, been awarded by the President for his concern to the Northern Region.

Musa Kwankwaso hints that A 37.8-kilometre dual carriageway designed with multiple bridges to divert heavy industrial traffic away from the Kano metropolis that is Kano Eastern Bypass is ongoing and will soon be completed.

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Another giant project according Kwankwaso is the Kano–Maradi Rail Line, a flagship 284-kilometre rail project cutting through Kano, Jigawa, and Katsina, designed to ease the transportation of goods and connect Nigeria with the Niger Republic.

While on Economic growth the President is working on AKK Gas Pipeline, the 614-kilometre Ajaokuta-Abuja-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline aimed at boosting domestic gas supply, industrialization, and power generation in Northern states, adding that this projects is near been completed.

On Ecological and Agricultural intervention the President Tinubu ensure the execution of Jakara-Gogau-Zungeru Project, he approved N47 billion for this massive urban sewage and ecological drainage system in Kano metropolis to control flooding and improve sanitation.

He also created Dams & Irrigation: Multi-billion Naira federal interventions have been released for 16 dams in Kano State, including the Challawa Gorge and Tiga Dams, alongside the broader Kano River Project to support agriculture.

On Healthcare Revitalization, The federal government has continuously upgraded Federal Teaching Hospitals across Northern zones and revitalized thousands of Primary Health Centres (PHCs) under the IMPACT program.

Still for the loves of the North, just recently the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu launched the Energize Commercialize Nigeria (ECoN) initiative in Kano, converting research and creative ideas into commercially viable products to create jobs across the Northwest.

“While Northwest Development Commission: The federal government has finalized development and inspection operations for the commission’s projects and its permanent headquarters in Kano.”

Musa Illiyasu Kwankwaso, notes that all these giant projects that are not merely on papers but they are lively going and anybody can touch and see them, shows the concern and love of the President Tinubu for the region.

He said, “President Tinubu should sleep with his two eyes closed because as per as reelection bid is concerned is a done deal and the North and Kano in particular will give him heavy votes that will quickly secure his victory”

Speaking on Peter Obi/Kwankwaso NDC Presidential Tickets, Musa Illiyasu, said that the contest is the most laughable in the recent Nigeria Political trajectory, because neither Obi no Kwankwaso have the regional recognition to win any election.

Further more, the Spokesperson of the Forum of the Federal Appointees, hints that, “Kwankwaso is flying a game with Peter Obi, because he is not sincere with their Projects”.

He added that, ” I can bet you, Kwankwaso is supporting a different Presidential Candidate, but sooner than later Nigerians would clearly see who is Kwankwaso and who did he stand with”.

The Forum Chairman Senator Bashir Garba Lado who is also the Adviser on National Assembly Senate, to the President, Musa Illiyasu Kwankwaso and all other Members, expressed deep determination to ensure that after securing victory for President Tinubu, they also secure Victory for Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State, three Senators of Barau Jibrin, Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila, and Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, together with all the 24 House of Representatives seat and 40 Kano Assembly seats.

“No doubt, our determination to ensure the victory of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, Senator Barau Jibrin, Kawu Sumaila, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau and all the Reps Seats and House of Assembly is clear and by the will of God our mission will be actualize”, Kwankwaso said.

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