Dr Richard Ajayi, an entrepreneur and healthcare advocate, says Nigeria’s hospitals are ineffective because the healthcare system has never clearly defined what constitutes a hospital, and not due to incompetent doctors.
Ajayi, who said this in an interview with newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja, described the current healthcare system as fractured and dangerously inconsistent.
He blamed the lack of regulatory oversight and national standards for the poor health outcomes experienced across the country.
“There are no universally enforced minimum standards, no shared national definition of what constitutes a hospital, and no robust mechanisms to enforce accountability.
“As a result, anything with a bed, a stethoscope and a nameplate can call itself a hospital,” he said
He said that his remarks come against the backdrop of sobering statistics
“According to the Legatum Institute (2019), Nigeria ranks 162nd out of 167 countries in health system performance.
“The country has just 0.32 hospital beds per 1,000 people, highlighting a critical gap in infrastructure.
“Healthcare spending per person stands at a mere 7.8 dollars per year, which amounts to roughly N33 a day.
“An estimated 74.68 per cent of Nigerians pay for healthcare out-of-pocket, exposing millions to catastrophic health expenditure and financial hardship,” he said.
Ajayi said that the chaos in the Nigerian hospital sector was not accidental but a consequence of systemic neglect.
“Quality is not the norm in such an environment, it is a fortunate accident,” he said.
The health expert said that lack of enforced definitions and standards has led to a landscape where patient safety, clinical competence and facility infrastructure vary dangerously, even within the same city or state.
According to him, rural communities were often the worst affected, with residents unable to differentiate between a chemist shop, a clinic or a legitimate hospital.
He called for a clear national definition of what a hospital should be, alongside the enforcement of minimum infrastructure, equipment and personnel standards.
“Regulation is not bureaucracy, it is a framework for safety, trust, and consistency.
“We must codify the basic building blocks of hospitals and reward excellence, not mediocrity,” he said.
Ajayi cited countries like South Africa and Kenya, where stronger regulatory frameworks have led to more reliable and equitable healthcare delivery.
He said that his call reflected a growing push among health professionals and policy advocates to overhaul Nigeria’s fragmented health system.
“Without structural reform and institutional enforcement, even the most qualified health professionals will continue to operate in the dark.
“Without a shared definition, even our best professionals work blindly,” he said.