Daniel Otera
A recent viral video showing victims of a road traffic accident allegedly left unattended at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jabi, Abuja, has triggered national outrage and prompted a federal investigation into the conduct of emergency health personnel.
The incident, which unfolded on hospital grounds and was recorded by a bystander, captured a scene that many Nigerians described as “all too familiar” patients in distress, staff hesitating to respond, and critical minutes lost in bureaucratic inertia.
The Journal has confirmed that eight staff members of the FMC are currently under formal investigation by the hospital.
Those under probe include four doctors, two nurses, and two hospital attendants. According to the hospital’s Head of Clinical Services, Dr. Bioku Muftau, the internal inquiry is focused on allegations of professional negligence and breach of emergency care protocols.
Responding to the viral clip, Dr. Muftau stated that all victims captured in the footage have since received care, with the most visibly injured patient, who had a head wound, stabilised and discharged on the same day.
He also denied social media claims that the hospital was overwhelmed or lacked resources at the time of the incident.
“This hospital is blessed with a lot of staff. As I speak with you, we have over 100 consultants in various specialties. In neurosurgery alone, we have three,” he said during a press briefing on Monday.
The Journal had earlier reported that the Federal Ministry of Health, through the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Tunji Alausa, initiated a fact-finding investigation into the video.
The findings of that probe, Dr. Muftau said, will be made public once concluded.
Public reactions online point to a deeper lack of trust in Nigeria’s tertiary health institutions. While the FMC incident was not fatal, past cases show a worrying pattern.
In 2016, FMC Jabi came under scrutiny after the death of a 29-year-old patient, Sandra David, following complications from gallbladder surgery.
The case, which drew nationwide media attention, led to an inquiry by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN). That same year, two other patients were reported dead under circumstances suspected to involve medical delays or errors within the same facility.
According to public sector tracking data published by BudgIT’s Tracka initiative, patients across Nigeria have repeatedly raised concerns over poor service delivery in tertiary hospitals, particularly in emergency units.
Reports highlight challenges such as inadequate staffing, outdated equipment, and slow emergency responses, which have contributed to rising dissatisfaction with public healthcare facilities. Although no official 2023 national perception ranking was released, complaints about delays in emergency care remain prominent in citizen feedback submitted to the platform.
Meanwhile, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) recorded over 2,700 road traffic accidents in Q4 2023 alone, a 24 percent increase from the previous quarter. The North Central zone, which includes the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), recorded the highest number of incidents, 905 cases.
While there is no publicly available national audit of emergency unit functionality, concerns over the effectiveness of Nigeria’s accident and emergency (A&E) services persist. Citizens frequently report delays, poor triage, and insufficient medical personnel at government-run facilities especially during off-hours.
Despite Abuja’s status as the seat of government and FMC Jabi’s designation as one of the top-tier referral centres, lapses in emergency protocol are not isolated. Across the country, public hospitals have been repeatedly accused of poor emergency response, with delays, insufficient equipment, and alleged neglect commonly reported by patients and families.
Accountability platforms such as Tracka by BudgIT have frequently flagged delays in healthcare project delivery, especially those related to emergency units and trauma care. Many of these projects, intended to strengthen emergency response across federal facilities, remain incomplete or underutilised.