Private Hospitals In Nigeria Rely On Auxiliary Nurses Amid Healthcare Crisis.
Nigeria’s healthcare system is grappling with a severe crisis as private hospitals, which account for 70 per cent of the nation’s healthcare services, increasingly employ unqualified auxiliary nurses due to a shortage of registered professionals. A recent investigation by PUNCH Healthwise has exposed how this reliance on undertrained staff is leading to medical errors, preventable deaths, and a growing lack of public trust in the sector.
The investigation highlights the tragic case of Amina Adetoye, who lost her life at a private hospital in Abeokuta, Ogun State. Amina, accompanied by her sister Fatima, sought treatment on a rainy morning but succumbed to complications after receiving an injection from an auxiliary nurse with no formal training or licensing. “They gave her an injection. Within hours, Amina started gasping. Her skin turned red, then blotchy,” Fatima recounted tearfully. Despite assurances from staff, Amina’s condition deteriorated rapidly, and she was pronounced dead after a delayed transfer to a better-equipped facility.
This incident is not isolated. Nigeria’s health sector is reeling from a mass exodus of qualified medical professionals seeking better opportunities abroad, leaving private hospitals struggling to fill staffing gaps. According to the Nigerian Medical Association, over 33,000 doctors have left the country, with only 42,000 remaining to serve a population exceeding 200 million. Nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare workers are also departing in droves, exacerbating the crisis.
To cut costs, many private hospital owners are hiring auxiliary nurses—individuals with minimal or no formal training—who are often employed as nursing assistants or aides. These workers, described as “quacks” by experts, are frequently tasked with critical responsibilities such as administering injections and managing patient care, despite lacking the qualifications required by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN). “The law is clear. The National Midwifery Act empowers state committees to flush out quacks and ensure only qualified nurses practise,” said a spokesperson for the NMCN.
Professor Mary Mgbekem from the University of Calabar’s Department of Nursing Science emphasised that auxiliary nurses have no place in Nigeria’s healthcare system. “They do not belong to healthcare professionals,” she stated, highlighting the risks posed by their lack of formal education and certification.
The consequences of this practice are dire. PUNCH Healthwise reports that the actions of auxiliary nurses have contributed to increased maternal and childhood mortality rates, as well as a rise in medical errors. A 2023 report noted that quackery in Lagos State alone has been linked to multiple avoidable deaths, further eroding confidence in the healthcare system.
Stakeholders are calling for urgent action. Dr. Chidumeje Okafor, a family physician at Anambra State Ministry of Health, warned that unchecked quackery could devastate Nigeria’s healthcare system faster than any other crisis. “Lives are lost daily,” he said, citing cases where auxiliary nurses performed complex procedures like Caesarean sections, often with catastrophic results.
The Oyo State government has taken steps to address the issue, closing eight out of 11 private health facilities in Ibadan for employing unqualified staff and failing to meet minimum standards. Dr. Azeez Adeduntan, the State Commissioner for Health, urged aspiring nurses to enrol in recognised medical schools, warning that training auxiliary nurses in private facilities would no longer be tolerated.
The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) has also intensified efforts to combat quackery, with joint committees in every state working to identify and report unqualified practitioners. “We do not encourage quackery because people’s health is at risk,” said a representative of the NANNM.
As Nigeria battles a healthcare workforce crisis, experts argue that systemic reforms are essential. Recommendations include increasing the retirement age for doctors and nurses to 70, improving salaries, and investing in modern medical infrastructure to retain professionals. Without decisive action, the reliance on auxiliary nurses risks further undermining Nigeria’s already fragile healthcare system, leaving patients vulnerable and the nation’s health indices in peril.
