The safety of patients undergoing surgery in Nigeria is under growing pressure from a shortage of physician anaesthetists, inadequate monitoring equipment and poor staff remuneration, the Nigerian Society of Anaesthetists (NSA) has warned.
The association called on federal and state governments to recruit more specialists, improve their welfare and equip operating theatres and intensive care units to meet minimum safety standards.
The warning formed part of the NSA’s statement marking the 2026 World Anaesthesia Day, signed by its president, Prof. Alhassan Datti Mohammed, and Public Relations Officer, Dr Agwu Nnanna.
Anaesthetists play a critical role before, during and after surgery. Their responsibilities include assessing whether patients are fit for an operation, administering anaesthesia, monitoring vital signs, controlling pain and managing recovery after the procedure.
The association said their work extends beyond putting patients to sleep. It involves keeping them stable throughout surgery and supporting safe recovery in Post-Anaesthesia Care Units (PACUs) and Intensive Care Units (ICUs).
“The Nigerian Society of Anaesthetists (NSA), the umbrella body for all Physician Anaesthetists in Nigeria, joins the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists (WFSA) to celebrate World Anaesthesia Day,” the statement said.
The society added that the occasion offered an opportunity to highlight a vital but often overlooked part of Nigeria’s healthcare system, where specialists frequently work under difficult conditions.
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The staffing shortage has implications for patients long before they enter an operating theatre. Anaesthesia services are essential to many planned and emergency procedures, including childbirth-related operations, trauma care and other major surgeries. Where trained personnel or appropriate monitoring equipment are unavailable, hospitals may face constraints in delivering safe care.
The NSA did not provide figures for the number of physician anaesthetists currently practising in Nigeria, the size of the staffing gap, or the number of hospitals affected. It also gave no cost estimate for recruiting specialists and upgrading facilities. These details would help establish the scale of the problem and the resources required to address it.
The association called for stronger investment in specialist training, better-equipped operating rooms and ICUs, improved remuneration and working conditions to help retain skilled personnel.
Better staffing and equipment must work together. Recruiting more specialists without providing functional monitors and other essential equipment could limit their effectiveness, while modern facilities cannot operate safely without adequately trained staff.
The society also highlighted poor public awareness of anaesthetists’ responsibilities. Greater understanding of their role could help patients appreciate the safety checks and monitoring that surgery requires.
The NSA pledged to continue training, advocacy and collaboration aimed at reducing anaesthesia-related maternal and surgical deaths.
World Anaesthesia Day commemorates the development of modern anaesthesia and draws attention to its importance in healthcare. In Nigeria, the association’s message places a practical question before governments: whether hospitals have enough trained personnel, suitable equipment and the working conditions needed to protect patients through surgery and recovery.
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