Nurse anesthetists in Nigeria have raised the alarm over what they described as a looming collapse in anesthesia services nationwide due to increasing neglect, poor working conditions, and the unrelenting effects of the “JAPA” syndrome.
Anesthetists nurses are specialists who provide anesthesia and pain management to patients before, during and after operations and surgical procedures.
But many of them have migrated abroad so as to seek better opportunities.
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Speaking at the 17th National Scientific Conference of the Nigeria Association of Nurse Anesthetists (NANA) in Kaduna, the association’s National Chairman, Ejigah Ogbaje, Friday, painted a bleak picture for the profession future if urgent reforms were not implemented.
“The lack of anesthesia personnel still stares us in the face, made even worse by the JAPA syndrome,” Ogbaje said. “Facilities are losing experienced hands daily, and the few left are stretched thin, with no replacements in sight.”
Nurse anesthetists, introduced into the healthcare system in the 1970s to fill a critical personnel gap, have since become the backbone of anesthesia delivery in many Nigerian hospitals.
According to Ogbaje, they run 24-hour call duties, contribute to disaster response, train other medical professionals, and carry out critical research.
He said despite their indispensable role, they face institutional neglect and rising discrimination.
“Some hospitals have stopped employing nurse anesthetists altogether. Their job adverts don’t even list us anymore,” he lamented. “Others tactically discourage nurses from specialising in anesthesia, pushing them into other fields.”
He added that when nurse anesthetists retire, they are often not replaced, leaving those remaining overwhelmed by long shifts, inadequate rest, and minimal support.
“The call duty allowance is not in any way commensurate with the physical and mental toll of our work,” he said.
More troubling, Ogbaje noted, is that some centres where nurse anesthetists pioneered anesthesia services have now restricted them from practising.
He appealed to hospital administrators and policymakers to urgently intervene by creating a more conducive work environment and offering better employment terms to nurse anesthetists.
His sentiments were echoed by Comrade Yakubu Ishaku, Chairman of the Kaduna State chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, who urged nurses to remain committed to professional development despite challenges.
“I encourage all nurses to create time to advance academically,” he said, while also calling on hospital managements to support staff education without bias.
Kaduna State Government, represented by Director of Nursing Services, Nancy Kukah, reaffirmed its commitment to improving healthcare delivery in the state.
“We are proud to host this important gathering,” Kukah said. “The state government is ever ready to partner with professional associations like NANA to enhance health sector performance.”
