Nigerian doctors living and working in other countries have asked the National Assembly and President Bola Tinubu to urgently provide special emergency funds. These funds would help citizens with serious health problems and support medical workers in dealing with increasing health issues and the growing number of sudden deaths in the country.
These doctors, who are based in the U.S., U.K., Nigeria, and other parts of Africa and Asia, said new studies show that many people working in both government and private jobs — including healthcare workers — are dying suddenly at an alarming rate.
Dr. Feyitayo Akorede, a U.S.-based doctor and a member of the coalition, said a recent survey shows a troubling rise in sudden death cases, which affect people of all ages and professions in Nigeria and around the world. Doctors are worried about the high number of heart problems that go undiagnosed, high stress levels, and a rise in chronic diseases like diabetes, stroke, heart diseases, cancer, arthritis, asthma, kidney disease, lung diseases, back pain, and drug abuse.
Dr. Akorede, who is a brain surgeon, urged the National Assembly and President Tinubu to quickly add emergency health funding to the national budget. This would help regular people and support doctors so they can better manage the health crisis and care for Nigerians.
He also asked leaders in both government and private companies to protect their workers by offering health education, stress management programs, wellness retreats, and better medical care. This would help workers stay healthy and be more productive.
Dr. Akorede explained that many victims show no warning signs. Their collapse happens so quickly — often during stressful or emotional situations — that there’s no time to get help. It just happens suddenly and silently.
He added that people affected by this problem include young adults, middle-aged people, and the elderly. This shows that the “slump and die” issue affects people of all ages.
According to him, this “slump and die” trend has become more common since the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, doctors worldwide are raising alarms. They say poor awareness of heart health, untreated high blood pressure, and the lack of regular health check-ups — especially among young professionals under stress — need urgent attention to prevent more deaths.
