The recent death of singer Ifunanya Nwangene in an Abuja hospital after a snakebite underscores the catastrophic state of Nigeria’s healthcare system. Her tragic demise during a desperate search for antivenom has ignited widespread outrage and highlighted a series of interconnected failures within a public health framework that is crumbling under pressure. This incident, alongside the loss of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s son due to alleged negligence in a private facility and boxer Anthony Joshua’s harrowing experience following a car crash, reveals a troubling narrative of a nation grappling with a healthcare emergency.
A System on the Brink
Nwangene, known by her stage name Nanyah, succumbed to her injuries in a leading federal hospital that was unable to provide the lifesaving antivenom required for her treatment. This incident is emblematic of a broader health crisis in Nigeria, where the 2025 SBM Intelligence Health Preparedness Index categorises the nation as “dangerously unprepared,” with none of its states achieving even 30% readiness for health emergencies.
The alarming reality is that Nigeria’s healthcare system is plagued by chronic shortages of essential medications, inadequate supply chains, and unreliable infrastructure. The inability of a capital city hospital to stock life-saving antivenom is not an isolated incident; it is indicative of a system where critical resources are consistently out of reach. This is compounded by a workforce crisis, as the “Japa” phenomenon—referring to the exodus of healthcare professionals seeking opportunities abroad—leaves remaining staff overburdened and prone to burnout.
The Lethal Lottery of Geography and Wealth
The tragic events surrounding Nwangene’s death are intertwined with the systemic inequities that characterise Nigeria’s health landscape. A profound geographical disparity exists, where rural communities bear the brunt of healthcare failures. Data reveals that only approximately 8.5% of snakebite victims reach a hospital, with many relying on traditional first aid methods, which are often ineffective or harmful. In contrast, urban centres, despite their inadequacies, offer a glimmer of hope for survival.
This disparity is starkly illustrated by varying access to healthcare. For instance, while individuals in urban settings may have a fighting chance, those in rural areas face a grim reality where medical emergencies can quickly escalate into life-or-death situations. The statistics are sobering: a study from the Benue Valley estimates an annual incidence of 497 snakebites per 100,000 people, with a mortality rate of 12.2%. It is evident that this is not merely a health issue, but a deliberate policy choice that neglects the rural poor.
Distrust in the System
In the wake of Nwangene’s death, a wave of nostalgia for traditional remedies has swept across social media, reflecting a deep-seated distrust in the formal healthcare system. Many Nigerians are turning to traditional healers as a pragmatic response to a state that has consistently failed to provide accessible and reliable care. The average time to reach a traditional healer is merely 15 minutes, compared to the arduous journey of over seven hours to a healthcare facility. This trend is not just a romanticised longing for the past, but rather a logical response to an inadequate system.
The political reaction to these tragedies has been tepid at best, with the establishment of a ministerial taskforce on patient safety viewed with scepticism. While it acknowledges “systemic challenges,” it fails to address the root causes of these failures—namely, the dysfunctional supply chains, the exodus of healthcare professionals, and the lack of emergency infrastructure.
Why it Matters
The convergence of these tragedies paints a harrowing picture of Nigeria’s healthcare crisis. It reveals an unreliable system that has abdicated its responsibility to its citizens, leaving them to navigate a perilous landscape where survival is dictated by chance rather than care. The emotional and physical toll of this dysfunction is felt across all strata of society, from the affluent who resort to medical tourism to the impoverished who find themselves trapped in a cycle of suffering and preventable death. Until there are profound reforms that prioritise equity and reliability, every Nigerian will remain subject to the whims of a failing system—a lethal lottery that threatens the very essence of human dignity and life itself.
