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An account of professionalism, compassion, and quiet excellence in Nigeria’s public healthcare system.

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By Dr. Aliyu U. Tilde

I have written this brief piece to commend the diligence I have observed at the National Hospital Abuja. It is heartening that, despite our widespread belief that public institutions in this country have failed, a place like the National Hospital—and indeed many of its sister tertiary healthcare institutions—still exists, where duty is upheld and humanity preserved.

My first contact with the National Hospital was three years ago, when my daughter was admitted to the Emergency Ward of the Gynaecology Department. Under the able care of Dr. Rais and his team, she was treated well for a persistent condition and discharged within days.

My ongoing experience in the Emergency Ward of the Oncology section of the Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology has been striking. I am, as a lecturer, usually sparing with praise, but on this occasion I would, without hesitation, award every member of staff here an A. What I have witnessed exceeds the basic expectations of attention, courtesy, and competence.

From the moment I arrived, I was met with a clear sense of order and purpose among the staff. They display considerable patience in their work and genuine respect for patients and their relatives. Above all, there is a profound concern for each patient’s well-being, reflected in diligence marked by punctuality, alertness, and prompt response.

I am here in attendance on Hajiya Zainab Usman, my elder sister, who acted as a second mother to me when I was a toddler. I was so attached to her that I called her “mama”—hence my family nickname, Danmama. “Mama,” 74, was referred here from ATBU Teaching Hospital, Bauchi, over two weeks ago. In the week I have spent here so far, the care she has received from the doctors, nurses, and other staff of the Radiotherapy and Oncology Department has led to remarkable improvement in her condition. My hope for a functioning Nigeria has been both rekindled and reinforced by the conduct of the staff.

No member of staff idles away time eating groundnuts, making calls, or chatting online. Remarkable, wallahi. The nurses are fully occupied attending to patients’ prescribed needs, continually monitoring their condition, administering medication, and recording their observations at the desk. They do so tirelessly, undeterred by fatigue and free from distraction. This morning, they sang “Happy Birthday” to David, a teenage patient beside us. Tears welled up in his eyes… In their kindness, our differences as Nigerians melt away; in the spirit of their work, we become one.

The doctors are consistently present—punctual in their rounds and immediate in their response to any situation. When there was difficulty locating a suitable vein for a cannula for “mama,” the young doctor on call, Dr. Chidinma, arrived and almost magically found one at once with a light tap of the finger. I followed her to express my appreciation for the diligence and professionalism with which they conduct themselves. With characteristic modesty, she suggested I should direct my appreciation even more to their team leader—Dr. (Mrs.) Lawal. Also on the team is Dr. Dalhatu, who oversees my sister’s care with a level of attention she would scarcely receive elsewhere.

This morning, I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Basira Lawal, whom Chidinma had mentioned earlier. She carries herself with the unmistakable poise and candour of a professional from whom younger doctors readily absorb both knowledge and experience. She stood beside “Mama,” listened to the update from Dr. Dalhatu and the other team members, and then offered her observations.

The Radiotherapy Centre is equally efficient. I observed my sister’s therapy sessions yesterday and today. Everything was carried out with due regard for her condition, an appropriate sense of urgency, and professional care—in under twenty minutes. With the nurse, Fatima, we then trolleyed “Mama” back to the Oncology Emergency Ward without any sign of fatigue.

The way their faces reflect kindness, composure, and quiet satisfaction, despite the constraints of low wages and inadequate equipment, calls forth admiration for a level of sacrifice we must acknowledge, and a dedication that merits our respect. Even as many of their colleagues continue to leave the country in search of better conditions abroad, they have chosen to remain and care for us and our loved ones. Without them, “Mama” might well have been left to a tragic end on a sickbed at home.

Whatever is good can always be improved. The National Hospital and similar institutions serve thousands of citizens daily with a standard of healthcare seldom found elsewhere in the country. Every government ought to leave its mark by improving their facilities with modern equipment and by offering conditions of service commensurate with the importance of their work. While we may never adequately reward our Lawals, Dalhatus, or Chidinmas, we are sufficiently endowed as a nation to show meaningful appreciation. As they care for us, our consultants, resident doctors, nurses, and technicians deserve the very best we can offer. On this, every government must be held to account. This tribute, and the challenge it poses, must not miss the attention of my brother, the current Minister of Health, Prof. M. A. Pate.

The professionalism at the National Hospital inspires hope for a brighter future. It reinforces my belief that, with purposeful leadership, our national commitment to improvement can find full expression in the quality of service within the public sector. Only then might we enjoy the abundance, peace, and progress envisioned by our founding fathers.

Thank you, National Hospital, Abuja. May God bless you.

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5 May 2026

cc. The Minister of Health, Abuja.

 

source: https://web.facebook.com/A.U.Tilde