A former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), has said that the state of medical care in Nigeria has reached a critical point, requiring emergency action.
He decried unnecessary deaths as a result of alleged negligence of health professions in some hospitals in Nigeria, adding that measures must be activated to prevent recurrence of such tragedies.
In a statement yesterday he expressed grave concern over the recurring incidents of absolutely preventable deaths resulting from alleged medical negligence by health practitioners across Nigeria.
He opined that the recent tragic loss of Nkanu Nnamdi, one of the twin sons of renowned author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and her husband, Dr. Ivara Esege, has once again brought this critical national crisis to the forefront of public consciousness.
Agbakoba, who also is Senior Partner & Head, Medical Malpractice, Olisa Agbakoba Legal, commended the Lagos State Government for its prompt commitment to investigate the matter. He equally commended Euracare Hospital, for agreeing to cooperate with investigators.
The legal icon, however, emphasised that such investigations must be genuinely independent and transparent, adding that he had witnessed instances where medical records were altered to avoid culpability.
He called for the immediate establishment of an independent Health Regulatory Authority with powers to inspect facilities, enforce standards, and sanction non-compliance and the reinstitution of the Office of Chief Medical Officer at federal and state levels with clear enforcement mandates.
Agbakoba said: “The time for comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s health system is long overdue. We cannot continue to lose precious lives to preventable medical errors whilst the regulatory framework remains in shambles.
This is a matter of national emergency that demands immediate legislative and executive action.” According to him, the fundamental problem underlying these tragedies is the complete failure of the legal and regulatory framework governing Nigeria’s health sector.
