Residents of Port Harcourt are voicing strong concerns over the disturbing trend of hospitals allegedly refusing to treat accident victims, a problem many believe has persisted for far too long in Nigeria’s healthcare system. The outrage was reignited after a video recently went viral, showing victims of a car accident being rescued by a good Samaritan and transported to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Jabi, Abuja—only to be reportedly denied medical attention.
The incident has drawn widespread criticism across the country, particularly in Port Harcourt, where many residents expressed disbelief that such practices still occur in 2025. They questioned how medical institutions could continue to turn away people in critical condition, especially when the first duty of healthcare providers should be to preserve life.
In conversations with our reporter, several residents condemned the act as inhumane and a direct violation of basic medical ethics.
“They should attend to any patient brought to the hospital, no matter the circumstances,” said Mr. Johnson Matthew, a concerned resident. “We are all trying to save lives. While the patient is being treated, the hospital can call the police and inform them of the situation, even if they have no evidence at the time.”
Another resident, who preferred to remain anonymous, added: “It is completely unacceptable to abandon accident victims, especially during emergencies. Medical personnel often assume the person is a thief or criminal. But whether the individual is guilty or not, the priority should be saving lives. Investigations can come later.”
This sentiment was echoed by other Port Harcourt citizens, many of whom believe that the fear of legal consequences or police scrutiny is causing hospitals to hesitate or outright refuse to treat victims brought in without police reports. They argue that such policies are dangerous and unjustified.
Amid the public criticism, Dr. Diamond Tamunokuro, Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Rivers State, shed light on some of the underlying challenges facing public healthcare institutions. According to him, many hospitals are struggling with severe staff shortages, inadequate funding, and an overburdened healthcare infrastructure—factors that have significantly hampered their ability to provide timely and effective services.
“Our hospitals continue to be overwhelmed with the sheer volume of patients seeking treatment,” Dr. Tamunokuro said. “On top of that, the issue of insufficient funding remains a major obstacle. For example, only 5.1% of this year’s national budget was allocated to healthcare, which is far below the 15% target set by the Abuja Declaration. As a result, most public hospitals lack the necessary equipment and resources to manage even basic medical emergencies effectively.”
He further emphasized the critical need for a more robust health insurance system, noting that the lack of comprehensive coverage for the majority of Nigerians has worsened the situation.
“Health insurance is a key pillar of any successful healthcare system,” Dr. Tamunokuro continued. “Unfortunately, uptake in Nigeria has been very low. We need to ensure that insurance becomes more accessible and widely adopted. Once more Nigerians are covered, the burden on the public health system will ease, and hospitals will be in a better position to deliver prompt and quality care—especially in emergencies.”
The 2025 national budget allocated ₦2.48 trillion to the health sector, representing just 5.18% of the total ₦47.9 trillion budget. This amount includes funds for infrastructure development, medical equipment procurement, and the Basic Health Care Provision Fund. Still, experts and stakeholders have noted that the allocation is grossly insufficient to meet the growing healthcare demands of a nation of over 200 million people.
As calls grow louder for immediate policy reform and proper enforcement of medical ethics in emergency situations, Nigerians hope to see concrete steps taken to ensure that no accident victim is ever again turned away at the hospital gate when they need care the most.
