A Consultant Paediatric Surgeon and former Kaduna State Commissioner for Health, Dr Paul Dogo, has warned that inadequate healthcare infrastructure and poor maintenance culture remain critical barriers to safe surgery in the country.
Speaking at the scientific conference and general meeting of the Association of Paediatric Surgeons of Nigeria (APSON), themed “Prioritising Surgery in National Health Plan: The Path to Improving Outcomes for the Child,” Dogo lamented the shortage of functional basic equipment in hospitals.
He disclosed that about 50 per cent of X-ray machines in government hospitals are non-functional, directly undermining safe surgical care. “Surgery is one of the most complex health interventions. It requires strict protocols, adequate equipment, and skilled teams to guarantee patient safety,” he said.
Dogo cited global statistics showing that nearly 400,000 hospitalised patients suffer preventable harm yearly, while more than 200,000 deaths result from medical errors, costing the healthcare system about $20 billion each year. Hospital-acquired infections alone, he added, account for losses of between $35.7 billion and $45 billion.
“Preventable harm in hospitals is a worldwide problem. The risk of dying in hospital from medical error in the developed world is one in 300—33,000 times higher than dying in an air crash,” he explained.
“Between five and 10 per cent of patients admitted to modern hospitals in developed countries develop one or two infections.”
He acknowledged progress in paediatric surgery, noting that the establishment of neonatal intensive care units has greatly improved post-surgery outcomes. However, he stressed that surgery without appropriate resources is “bad practice and potentially dangerous.”
Dogo also highlighted the Safe Surgery Saves Lives initiative of the World Health Organisation (WHO), which promotes safer anaesthesia, reduction of surgical site infections, teamwork, and consistent use of surgical checklists.
He said adopting the WHO surgical checklist, ideally integrated into electronic health records with voice activation, can significantly reduce errors, adverse events, morbidity, and mortality.
“Safe surgery not only saves a child’s life but also brings immense joy to families. That joy should motivate every paediatric surgeon to pursue the highest standards of safety,” he added.
Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Prof. Philip Mshelbwala, called for concrete action to address the challenges confronting paediatric surgery in Nigeria, while pledging the association’s commitment to bridging gaps through mentorship, collaboration, and innovation.
Also speaking, APSON President, Prof. Roland Osuoji, stressed the importance of early diagnosis of Wilms’ tumour, a childhood kidney cancer. He said most Nigerian patients present late, with tumours weighing over 500g and spreading across the midline, making treatment more difficult and reducing survival chances.
Osuoji called for compulsory pre-registration medical examinations, urinalysis, and ultrasonography for pre-kindergarten children. He noted that routine screening could greatly improve the prognosis for affected children in Nigeria.
