Nigerian private hospitals are grappling with an unprecedented economic crisis, with more deceased bodies filling morgues than patients filling hospital beds, says the Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners (ANPMP). This economic strain is driving people to self-medicate in alarming numbers, leading to severe health complications, organ failure, and even death.
Dr. Odia Festus Ihongbe, Chairman of the ANPMP, revealed in an exclusive interview that the current situation is dire: patients now avoid hospitals until their conditions are critical, often leaving healthcare providers with limited options and asking them to “perform miracles.” Many people, he explained, rely on internet searches and over-the-counter drugs until their cases become life-threatening.
“People come only when it’s critical. They search their symptoms online and buy drugs from chemists until it’s too late,” he stated. “Some even leave their deceased relatives in our hospitals, hoping we’ll provide a death certificate for easier burial arrangements,” Odia added.
The financial crisis is also impacting the hospitals’ workforce. Private hospitals, which employ 80% of Nigeria’s healthcare professionals, are finding it nearly impossible to implement the recent federal minimum wage of N70,000. “How can we pay when the government provides minimal support?” Odia questioned, noting that even the cost of essential hospital supplies has soared.
The effects of foreign exchange rates and inflation are further exacerbating the crisis. “An oxygen machine that once cost N25,000 now costs up to N2 million,” he said, emphasizing how basic equipment and supplies like syringes have become unaffordable, with a pack of syringes skyrocketing from N250 to over N7,000.
Dr. Odia pointed to the collapse of Nigeria’s National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) as a fundamental issue, criticizing the government’s long-standing failure to expand affordable healthcare access. “The health insurance scheme has covered only 4% of Nigerians over the past 20 years. Recently, they raised the monthly contribution from N500 to N700, which can barely cover basic treatment,” he lamented.
The ANPMP warns that without immediate government intervention, healthcare access for Nigerians will continue to deteriorate. Dr. Odia hinted that private practitioners might even consider suspending health insurance treatments if the government does not address their concerns.
The economic fallout is evident as private hospitals reach the brink of collapse, with mortuaries filling up and life-saving resources dwindling. The pressing question, according to Odia, remains: “If healthcare continues to be out of reach, how will Nigerians survive?”
