Spinal cord injury patients decry lack of treatment centre

Nigeria Spinal Cord Injuries Association (SCIAN) has issued an urgent and stark warning: the nation's critical dearth of dedicated rehabilitation centers for spinal cord injury survivors is escalating preventable deaths, profound depression, and lifelong disability. Despite a rising caseload—fueled largely by road traffic accidents and violence—the healthcare system remains woefully unprepared, leaving thousands without access to vital post-injury care. This alarming situation underscores a profound failure in Nigeria healthcare infrastructure, which consistently operates below World Health Organization recommendations. Current facilities, often general hospitals, lack the specialized equipment and trained personnel essential for comprehensive SCI rehabilitation, including physical and occupational therapy and critical psychosocial support. SCIAN repeated appeals, including recent petitions to the National Assembly in late 2025, highlight the government's inertia in fully implementing the rehabilitation provisions of the National Health Act (2014). The immediate consequence is a generation of Nigerians left vulnerable to secondary complications and economic marginalization. Moving forward, observers will be watching for concrete policy shifts from the Federal Ministry of Health, beyond rhetorical commitments to Universal Health Coverage, to establish and adequately fund specialized rehabilitation centers. Failure to act will not only compound human suffering but also erode national productivity and deepen the country's public health crisis.