A Nigerian constitutional and human rights lawyer, Ikenna Ahumibe Esq, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in the country’s health sector, warning that Nigeria’s healthcare system is collapsing under neglect, poor funding and policy failures.
In an open letter titled “Health Care In Chains”, made available to Starpost Express, Ahumibe described access to healthcare as a fundamental right Nigerians are being denied by the government.
The lawyer accused authorities of allowing public hospitals to deteriorate while thousands of Nigerians continue to flee abroad for medical treatment.
According to him, “Access to Healthcare is a basic right, not a luxury. It is a fundamental obligation of the state and an integral component of the right to life.”
“Regrettably, the Nigerian government has already failed to fulfil this obligation, as the healthcare system continues to operate in chains, crippled by neglect, inadequate infrastructure and policy failures.”
Ahumibe also raised alarm over the growing exodus of Nigerian doctors and health workers, blaming poor salaries, unpaid wages, insecurity and the deplorable condition of hospitals.
“This Systemic failure is further underscored by the increasing exodus of medical professionals from the country. Nigerian doctors continue to emigrate in significant numbers, driven by poor remuneration, persistent non-payment of salaries resulting in incessant industrial actions, and the deplorable state of medical infrastructure. The burden of excessive workload, professional burnout, and limited opportunities for career advancement further compounds this trend. Insecurity and policy inconsistency have created an unstable environment for medical practice.”
He further claimed that doctors are increasingly becoming targets of kidnappers across the country.
“Recent data indicates that dozens of Nigerian doctors are kidnapped annually, with incidents on the rise, further underscoring the state’s failure to guarantee the security of healthcare providers.”
The legal practitioner faulted the Federal Government’s healthcare budget, describing it as grossly inadequate and far below international standards.
“With only about 4.2% of the 2026 National Budget devoted to Healthcare, the allocation remains manifestly insufficient and far below established international benchmarks. Many Nigerians travel from Nigeria to India, UK, USA, Canada and other countries for medical treatment due to gaps in local healthcare – such as outdated equipment, limited specialists and frequent delays in critical care”.
He lamented that Nigeria loses hundreds of millions of dollars yearly to medical tourism because of failing hospitals and outdated facilities.
“Facilities like National Hospital Abuja often face capacity and infrastructure challenges, especially for complex conditions like cancer or heart diseases. Healthcare facilities in foreign countries are equipped with advanced technology, experienced consultants, quicker diagnosis giving patients a higher chance of successful outcomes. Nigerian loses about $550 million yearly to medical tourism. About 5,000 Nigerians travel monthly for treatment abroad. Each patient spends roughly $20,000 $40,000 per trip. India alone accounts for large some of this outflow.”
Calling for urgent reforms, Ahumibe urged the government to establish world-class hospitals across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
“Nigerians deserves truly world-class hospitals across all the six geopolitical zones to reduce the growing dependence on foreign medical care with modern equipment, well-trained specialists, and proper funding, the country can treat complex conditions locally restore public confidence in its healthcare system and significantly curb the billions lost annually to medical tourism.”
“Strengthening domestic healthcare is not just necessary it is urgent for National Development and patient survival.”
He painted a grim picture of conditions at major federal hospitals, especially the National Hospital Abuja and the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri.
“The state of Healthcare in Nigeria today, particularly at the National Hospital Abuja and the Federal Medical Centre Owerri, represents a grave constitutional and moral failure. What should be centres of healing have become symbols of systematic neglect, marked by outdated equipment frequent breakdowns, and gross inadequacy of life saving machines”.
Ahumibe claimed that patients suffering from cancer and kidney-related diseases are dying while waiting endlessly for treatment.
“At the National Hospital Abuja, critical facilities such as MRI machines, dialysis units, and cancer treatment equipment are either insufficient or poorly maintained. Cancer Patients and those in need of Dialysis are left waiting endlessly owing to a shortage of machines. Some die in queues before ever receiving care. Others are turned away and funnelled to private Hospitals often tied to same consultants where treatment is prohibitively expensive, leaving countless patients to die for lack of funds. This is not mere inefficiency, It is a threat to life.”
He also decried the overcrowded conditions at FMC Owerri.
“In Owerri FMC (Federal Medical Centre) the situation is even more alarming, patients are admitted in Hospital corridors due to lack of space, in conditions that violate basic human dignity. Such treatment offends Sect 34 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees the dignity of the human person.”
The lawyer accused the government of focusing on less urgent projects while the healthcare system continues to crumble.
“As others are left to suffer, government priorities remain misplaced diverting attention to projects like Coastal Roads and sharing of Rice rather than swift reforms to the Healthcare System”.
He concluded by calling on the Minister of Health and the National Assembly to urgently act before the situation worsens.
“The Minister of Health must be called to order and the National Assembly is under a constitutional and fiduciary duty to act with decisiveness in the public interest, rather than engaging in practices that suggests budget inflation or participation in contract racketeering, both of which undermine public trust and the integrity of governance. Healthcare is not charity, continued neglect goes beyond bad governance and it is a dereliction of duty.”
