Lasisi Elenu condemns Nigeria’s healthcare system, calls for government intervention

By Damilola Akinwale –

Nigerian comedian and content creator Nosa Afolabi, widely known as Lasisi Elenu, has decried the state of the country’s healthcare system, describing it as shameful and disturbing.

In a lengthy video addressed to President Bola Tinubu and the governors of the 36 states, shared on his Instagram page on Monday, the comedian expressed frustration over the declining state of healthcare in the country. Using Lagos as a case study, he drew attention to the refusal by some federal hospitals to admit patients due to what he described as “minor issues”, including a lack of bed space.

Lasisi said he had recorded the video several times over the past five or six months but could not publish it because he became emotional while recording. He highlighted challenges including poor data management, a shortage of medical personnel due to the “Japa” syndrome, the attitude of some healthcare workers towards patients and shortages of basic medical supplies.

Speaking about the shortage of medical supplies, the entertainer claimed that Nigerians sometimes lose their lives because of the unavailability of basic necessities such as oxygen, blood, injections, medicine and bed spaces.

“If you knew how many people lost their lives on a daily basis in Nigerian hospitals because of the littlest things, because of the smallest things, something as little as oxygen, something as little as blood, something as little as injections, something as little as medicine, something as little as bed space,” he said.

Lasisi also recounted the circumstances surrounding his mother’s death in 2022, saying his family struggled to secure a bed for her in a Federal Government hospital. According to him, she was moved from one federal hospital to another before the family eventually secured a bed through personal connections. He also recounted the alleged experience of a family friend who visited several hospitals while seeking admission but eventually died.

Elenu criticised the attitude of some healthcare workers towards patients and their relatives, while clarifying that his comments were not directed at all medical personnel. He also expressed concern over the migration of Nigerian medical professionals and questioned whether the government was doing enough to address the problem.

Lasisi called for the construction of more standard hospitals across the country, arguing that Nigerians should not have to travel long distances in search of medical care. He urged the government to look beyond surface-level renovations and address deeper problems within the healthcare system.