Prominent experts, Professor Pat Utomi and Dr. Adefolaseye Adebayo have sounded the alarm on Nigeria’s failing healthcare system, even as they remained positive that there is still hope for redemption. Warning that with preventable deaths soaring and life expectancy plummeting, they said Nigeria is plunging into a full-blown health crisis.

In an exclusive session with Good Health Weekly, the experts who outlined a clear roadmap for reform insisted that with a strategic shift in priorities, Nigeria can save hundreds of thousands of lives each year.

In their call to action they highlight six key areas that they say can reverse the current decline in the health sector. These include prioritising spending, rebuilding the primary healthcare network, and investing in the health workforce. Others are integrating digital tools, reforming health insurance, and enforcing accountability.

Utomi, who is the Convener, Big Tent Shadow Cabinet laid bare the country’s failing healthcare system. He cited mismanaged funds, mass exodus of medical professionals, and a crumbling primary healthcare network as drivers of avoidable suffering.

Speaking on the state of the nation’s health sector under the Big Tent Shadow Cabinet, Utomi decried the contrast between lavish infrastructure spending and citizens’ basic medical needs.

“Billions are being poured into mega projects like the $11 billion Eko Atlantic–Calabar Highway, the $4 billion Lagos–Abuja Super-Highway, and a $100 million presidential jet, yet ordinary Nigerians struggle to access quality healthcare,” he said. “Education and healthcare are universally acknowledged as the surest investments in national prosperity. Yet in Nigeria, both remain neglected.”

Alarming statistics

He cited data from the World Health Organisation, that places Nigeria’s life expectancy at 62.2 years, nearly 12 years below the global average.

“Independent estimates suggest it may be closer to 56, and for many Nigerians, Utomi argued, “real life expectancy could be as low as 45.”

He stated that maternal mortality remains among the highest globally, at 993 deaths per 100,000 live births, while under-five mortality is 117 per 1,000 live births.

“One in every eight Nigerian children dies before the age of five,” Utomi lamented.

Multifaceted crisis

On her part, spokesperson for health in the Big Tent Shadow Cabinet, Dr. Adefolaseye Adebayo, described the health system as “a deep, multifaceted problem,” where one complication leads to another, eventually creating multiple crises that are hard to untangle.

Adebayo highlighted insufficient professionals, political nonchalance, failing health insurance, and corruption as core issues.

She berated government priorities, noting the $15 billion Coastal Road project dwarfs the entire health sector’s GDP.

“It’s a misplaced priority. Countries that value citizens’ health invest at least 5 percent of GDP in healthcare. Nigeria knows this, but corruption prevents proper investment because well-funded health systems leave less room for misappropriation.”

She also cited road accidents as a major contributor to preventable deaths. “Accidents kill Nigerians every day. Critical care within the first four to eight hours is often unavailable. Every region should have trauma-equipped hospitals and emergency centers on major expressways,” she said, criticizing the government for prioritising cosmetic infrastructure over citizen safety.

Exodus of healthcare workers

Utomi and Adebayo lamented the mass departure of trained Nigerian healthcare workers abroad. “The average doctor-to-patient ratio is now 1 to 10,000. Those who remain are overwhelmed. Nigeria trains doctors for other countries—seven out of every 100 black doctors in the U.S. are Nigerian,” they noted.

Continuing, Adebayo described the toll on the few remaining professionals: “The few available are overworked, some getting sick, and there’s no backup. Even in Lagos, where most doctors are concentrated, specialists are scarce. In northern states, insecurity keeps healthcare workers away. People are dying because no one is available to treat them.”

Reviving primary healthcare

At the core of reform, Utomi stressed reviving Nigeria’s 30,000 primary healthcare centres even as Adebayo added that primary care should manage 70 percent of health problems, with free drugs for malaria, upper respiratory tract infections, and immunizations to reduce pressure on secondary and tertiary hospitals.

“Primary healthcare must not just be a building with beds; it should have medicines, trained staff, proper storage, and equipment. Malaria drugs for children under five should be free, immunization completely free, and village centers functional so people don’t need to travel to the city,” she said.

Health insurance & misplaced priorities

Adebayo faulted the health insurance system as insufficient and corrupt, noting that patients often receive care based on what insurers will cover rather than medical need. She lamented superficial primary healthcare facilities, where buildings exist but lack essential equipment, medication, and trained staff.

“Beds are not hospitals. Blood Pressure machines are not hospitals. Citizens continue to applaud empty buildings,” she pointed out.

She called for policies that attract Nigerian diaspora professionals back home, create structured residency and training opportunities, and provide incentives like housing or transportation to retain healthcare workers.

Emergency services and technology

Adebayo highlighted the lack of a robust Emergency Medical System, EMS. Every zone should have trauma-equipped hospitals. Insurance companies should cover emergency care. Government should collaborate with telecoms to establish an emergency number and improve response times.”

Utomi advocated nationwide electronic health records and real-time monitoring dashboards, while Adebayo stressed intensive training programmes, government-funded exchange initiatives, and equipment provision to build local capacity.

Way forward

Despite the grim picture, the experts remained hopeful. “By prioritising spending, rebuilding primary healthcare, investing in the workforce, integrating digital tools, and enforcing accountability, Nigeria can save hundreds of thousands of lives annually,” Utomi said.

Adebayo echoed this optimism, emphasizing the power of a coordinated effort. “With functional primary care, emergency services, health insurance reform, and incentives for health workers, we can drastically reduce preventable deaths,” she stated. “Countries that have progressed did so with clear, effective health strategies. Nigeria can, and must, do the same.”

Noting the immense challenges, they called for a deliberate and committed strategy that can turn the tide on Nigeria’s health crisis, ensuring a healthier and more prosperous future for all citizens. (Vanguard)