Medical Negligence & The Crisis Of Accountability In Nigerian Hospitals
By DIANA CHUKWUKA
A Disturbing Pattern of Preventable Deaths
A series of tragic deaths across Nigeria’s public and private hospitals in recent months has renewed national concern about the safety, accountability and regulation of healthcare delivery. From Lagos to Kano and Ekiti, cases involving infants, young children and adults have highlighted systemic weaknesses that go beyond isolated human error.
Healthcare institutions are meant to be places of healing. Increasingly, however, they are becoming flashpoints of public outrage as families recount stories of negligence, misdiagnosis and poor monitoring, often followed by official denials and slow investigations.
Cases That Shook Public Confidence
Public attention was first drawn to the issue following the deaths of nine-month-old twins, Testimony and Timothy Alozie, who died on 25 December, a day after receiving routine vaccinations at a Lagos primary healthcare centre. Their father’s emotional public appeal, captured in viral videos, raised troubling questions about vaccine safety, administration practices and post-vaccination monitoring.
Barely weeks later, the death of 21-month-old Nkanu, son of internationally acclaimed writer Chimamanda Adichie, after a medical procedure at a Lagos private hospital, deepened anxieties. The family alleged excessive sedation and inadequate monitoring, claims the hospital has denied, insisting its staff followed international standards.
In Kano State, the case of Aishatu Umar, a mother of five, exposed another dimension of medical negligence. Following surgery to remove a cyst, surgical scissors were reportedly left inside her body, causing months of pain and complications before a corrective procedure elsewhere proved fatal.
Institutional Responses Under Scrutiny
In response to these incidents, state governments ordered investigations, while hospital authorities issued statements rejecting negligence. Yet, critics argue that internal reviews and suspensions are insufficient where patient deaths are involved.
In Kano, three doctors were suspended and referred to an ethics committee. In Ekiti, following a failed kidney transplant, a surgeon was dismissed and the state assumed responsibility for corrective treatment. While these actions suggest accountability, medical law experts say Nigeria lacks consistent enforcement of professional sanctions.
In many advanced jurisdictions, such cases often result in licence withdrawal, civil damages and criminal prosecution. In Nigeria, however, outcomes are frequently limited to administrative sanctions, raising concerns about deterrence.
Regulatory Gaps and Oversight Failures
Central to the debate is the role of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), charged with regulating medical practice. Despite mounting complaints, critics argue that disciplinary processes remain opaque, slow and inaccessible to victims’ families.
Legal analysts note that fear of professional retaliation, high litigation costs and limited awareness discourage many Nigerians from pursuing malpractice claims. Consequently, only a fraction of cases become public or reach the courts.
Economic and Social Consequences
The erosion of trust in local healthcare has far-reaching consequences. Medical tourism continues to drain Nigeria’s economy, with estimates placing annual spending between $1.5 billion and $2 billion. For those who cannot afford treatment abroad, the cost is measured in lost lives and lasting disabilities.
Meanwhile, frequent strikes by healthcare workers, poor remuneration, inadequate equipment and infrastructure decay compound risks within hospitals already under strain.
Beyond Infrastructure: The Human Factor
While systemic challenges are real, experts caution against excusing negligence. Poor working conditions do not justify avoidable errors, falsified records or failure to monitor vulnerable patients.
Healthcare professionals, analysts argue, require continuous retraining, stricter supervision and clearer accountability mechanisms to reduce fatal lapses.
Restoring Trust Through Accountability
Medical malpractice is not merely a professional issue; it is a public safety concern. Transparent investigations, timely sanctions and compensation for victims are essential to restoring confidence.
Unless regulatory bodies act decisively, critics warn that Nigerian hospitals will continue to lose credibility—at a cost measured not only in money, but in lives.
