Patients receiving treatment at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, Ogun State, are facing challenges linked to shortages of essential medical equipment, medicines and healthcare personnel, alongside unreliable water and electricity supplies.

The situation has raised concerns among health workers over the hospital’s capacity to provide effective care, particularly after the death of a 22-year-old student nurse, Godwin Taiwo, during an asthma-related emergency on October 16.

According to an incident statement issued by the Students’ Union Government of the School of Psychiatric Nursing, Taiwo developed breathing difficulties during a football match and was taken to the hospital after his inhaler failed to improve his condition.

The students’ union alleged that there was a delay in medical intervention and raised questions about the availability and use of emergency equipment. It subsequently demanded an impartial investigation, a refund of fees paid by the deceased and N20 million in compensation for his family.

The hospital management said it had commenced an investigation into the incident.

The equipment concerns were also highlighted by the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), whose members issued a 21-day ultimatum to the hospital management, demanding improvements in medical supplies and working conditions.

The association said three wards had been forced to share a single blood pressure monitoring apparatus, while other essential equipment, including pulse oximeters, cardiac monitors, thermometers, weighing scales, glucometers and oxygen cylinders, were either unavailable or inadequate.

It also identified shortages of specialist personnel, insufficient medicines, unreliable electricity and inadequate water supply as challenges affecting healthcare delivery.

A consultant psychiatrist at the hospital, who spoke anonymously, said the situation had deteriorated, with some wards lacking functional blood pressure machines and having to borrow equipment from others.

The consultant also alleged that students who accompanied Taiwo to the emergency unit disrupted medical personnel during efforts to treat him. However, the source was not present during the incident and based the account on information received from staff who attended to the student.

The Chairman of the Association of Resident Doctors at the hospital, Dr Chidi Ikwumezie, acknowledged some of the reported deficiencies, attributing them partly to inadequate funding and the migration of healthcare workers.

He said the departure of medical personnel had increased workloads, leaving fewer workers to attend to patients drawn from Ogun, Ondo and Oyo states.

Ikwumezie called on the Federal Government to prioritise healthcare workers’ welfare, recruitment and retention, warning that excessive workloads could contribute to stress and burnout.

He also appealed to President Bola Tinubu and the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, to address the challenges facing public healthcare institutions.

Meanwhile, a union leader at the hospital alleged that the facility owed suppliers more than N100 million, affecting the availability of medicines and food. The source called for a Federal Government visitation panel to examine the hospital’s finances and operations.

The hospital’s former Provost and Medical Director, Dr Afis Agboola, reportedly proceeded on sabbatical outside the country in early 2026. His absence was confirmed by the acting Provost and Medical Director, Dr Sunday Amosu, who said he assumed the acting position in May.

Amosu also confirmed that Agboola remained an employee of the hospital but was not receiving a salary while on sabbatical. He said arrangements were underway to appoint a substantive medical director.

Responding to the concerns, the acting medical director said management had met with representatives of the nurses’ association and was reviewing the reported equipment shortages.

He disputed some of the claims, particularly allegations concerning the absence of a nebuliser and oxygen concentrator during Taiwo’s emergency, insisting that the equipment was available at the time.

Amosu also said the hospital had recruited more than 200 workers in the previous year and was seeking further approvals to conduct another recruitment exercise.

He attributed outstanding payments to contractors to delays in federal budget releases, adding that management was assessing its equipment inventory and taking steps to address the concerns raised by healthcare workers.