Doctor Dies Moments After Arriving at Kano Hospital to Treat Waiting Patients By Abu O Amali

KANO, Nigeria — The medical community in Kano State has been thrown into mourning following the sudden death of renowned consultant gastroenterologist, Dr. Ibrahim Muhammad, who reportedly collapsed and died shortly after arriving at a private hospital to attend to patients waiting for consultation.
The late physician, who served as a consultant at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) and also held private clinics at Arewa Surgery Hospital, reportedly passed away on Saturday evening after responding to a call from the hospital that several patients had gathered to see him after the Maghrib prayer.
According to hospital officials, Dr. Muhammad arrived at the facility but developed sudden dizziness moments after stepping out of his vehicle. He was immediately rushed into the emergency unit, where fellow consultants made frantic efforts to revive him.
Despite the medical team’s efforts, he was pronounced dead less than 30 minutes after arriving at the hospital.
Hospital Colleagues Express Shock
The Head of Clinical Services at Arewa Medical Consultants and Deputy Managing Director of the hospital, Dr. Muhammad Shuaibu Adamu, described the incident as heartbreaking and unexpected.
He revealed that Dr. Muhammad had only recently recovered from a mild case of malaria and had fully resumed his normal duties.
“The illness he had a few days earlier was just malaria. He recovered completely and returned to work. We even worked together until late Friday night,” Adamu said.
He explained that after observing the Maghrib prayer at home, the doctor honoured a call informing him that patients were waiting at the hospital.
“Before he could even enter the hospital properly, he complained of dizziness. We immediately moved him to the emergency unit, but sadly, he passed away within a short time,” he added.
Adamu described the late doctor as humble, dependable and compassionate, noting that he was survived by his wife and six children.
Patients Witness Tragic Moment
One of the patients’ relatives, Hon. Suleiman Abdullahi Harbo, narrated how the tragedy unfolded.
Harbo said he had accompanied his elderly mother to the hospital after they were informed that Dr. Muhammad would personally attend to patients because another consultant was unavailable.
According to him, several elderly patients had been waiting patiently for the doctor.
Unknown to them, the physician had already arrived at the hospital before collapsing shortly afterward.
“It was heartbreaking. About five senior consultant doctors immediately tried to save him, but unfortunately, they couldn’t,” Harbo said.
He added that many of the patients waiting for treatment were over 80 years old.
“The painful irony is that the doctor came to save lives but lost his own before seeing any patient,” he said.
Tributes Pour In
Prominent constitutional lawyer and founder of the Capt. Ismail A. Yadudu Foundation, Professor Auwalu Yadudu, described Dr. Muhammad as a committed medical professional who devoted years to public health awareness.
According to him, the late physician had consistently volunteered during the foundation’s annual hepatitis screening and liver disease awareness programmes since 2009.
Yadudu praised his dedication to improving healthcare and urged Nigerians to honour his memory by supporting charitable initiatives that benefit society.
Doctor’s Death Highlights Nigeria’s Healthcare Crisis
Beyond the loss of the respected physician, the incident has renewed concerns over Nigeria’s worsening shortage of medical doctors.
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Kano State chapter, said the country currently has only one doctor serving approximately 40,000 patients, far below the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendation of one doctor to every 600 patients.
Speaking on the situation, the association’s chairman, Dr. Abdulrahman Ali, described the shortage as a major challenge affecting healthcare delivery across the country.
He noted that many doctors are forced to work long hours under intense pressure because of the inadequate workforce.
“The number of doctors available in Nigeria is grossly insufficient. We remain far below the WHO recommendation, and the pressure on healthcare workers is enormous,” he said.
Ali warned that excessive workloads increase the risk of fatigue-related medical errors but stressed that doctors continue to provide quality care despite the difficult conditions.
He disclosed that healthcare providers have adopted innovations such as telemedicine, improved patient scheduling and greater reliance on primary healthcare workers to reduce pressure on doctors.
The NMA also urged governments at all levels to improve doctors’ salaries, working conditions and hospital infrastructure to curb the continued migration of healthcare professionals abroad.
According to Ali, recent figures from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) indicate that Nigeria has only about 55,000 registered doctors, a number he said is grossly inadequate for the country’s growing population