The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Prof. Wasiu Adeyemo, has called for improvements in Nigeria’s medical referral system to ensure better outcomes for emergency health cases.
Wasiu made the remarks in an interview with reporters on Thursday in Lagos, expressing concern over lapses in the referral process among hospitals.
He noted that many secondary and primary healthcare facilities, including private hospitals, often fail to follow proper referral procedures, resulting in poor outcomes for patients in emergency situations.
“Some hospitals refer patients without first contacting tertiary health institutions to confirm their readiness to handle the emergency. There is a limit to what a tertiary hospital like LUTH can accommodate, given its personnel and available facilities,” he said.
The CMD stressed the importance of adhering to referral protocols by notifying tertiary hospitals before sending patients. This would enable the receiving hospital to prepare adequately and avoid situations where patients are rejected due to a lack of bed space or necessary facilities.
“Unfortunately, many hospitals dump patients on us without verifying availability or communicating beforehand. Sending a patient with just a referral letter is not enough. Hospitals must call in advance, inform us about the patient, and ideally get approval before transferring them. We simply cannot stretch our resources beyond capacity,” he said.
Wasiu highlighted challenges such as full Intensive Care Units (ICUs) that limit the hospital’s ability to accept referred patients needing critical care.
Commenting on the issue, a general physician, Dr. Gerald Chinasa, said Nigeria’s emergency response system needs restructuring to better handle critical health emergencies and save lives.
Chinasa noted that systemic failures often lead to avoidable deaths. He urged tertiary institutions to prioritize patient care, saying that lack of prior communication should not be a reason to reject referrals.
While agreeing that hospitals should contact tertiary facilities before referrals, Chinasa advised that these institutions ensure functional and accessible communication channels. He added that many contact numbers listed on websites and social media platforms are often unreachable, and even when connected, calls frequently go unanswered.
According to Chinasa, systemic weaknesses—including low public awareness, lack of trust in emergency lines, fragmented governance, and poor inter-agency coordination—continue to undermine Nigeria’s emergency care system.
