The Elegant Nurses Forum (ENF) has called for a thorough and transparent investigation into the reported death of twin babies following a routine immunisation exercise at the Ajangbadi Primary Health Care Centre in Lagos State, raising fresh concerns over professional standards and patient safety in the state’s primary healthcare system.
In a statement issued on Friday, the forum said the tragic incident occurred during an immunisation session at the facility and was allegedly linked to a wrongful injection administered to the infants. The development has sparked public outrage and renewed scrutiny of healthcare delivery at the grassroots level.
The ENF clarified that the injection in question was administered by a Community Health Extension Worker (CHEW) and not by a registered nurse, stressing that the distinction is crucial for public understanding and accountability.
According to the forum, the clarification was necessary to prevent misinformation and to highlight what it described as systemic failures in the regulation and supervision of healthcare personnel within Lagos State’s primary health care facilities.
The forum stated that it had previously raised alarms about declining professional standards in the state’s primary healthcare system, warning that continued negligence and weak regulation could result in fatal consequences.
“It is important to state that the National Coordinator of the Elegant Nurses Forum raised a clear alarm months ago, warning the Lagos State Government of an impending disaster due to poor regulation, negligence, and the failure of the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board to enforce professional standards,” the statement said.
The group recalled that it has, over the years, consistently advocated for the clear definition of roles and strict adherence to scope of practice in healthcare delivery, particularly at the primary care level where vulnerable populations are most at risk.
“For years, the Elegant Nurses Forum has consistently called for clear boundaries and strict adherence to scope of practice in healthcare delivery,” the forum reiterated.
The ENF emphasised that nurses are trained and licensed professionals equipped with the competencies required to manage patients safely across all levels of healthcare, including immunisation services and emergency response.
“Nurses are irreplaceable. Patient safety cannot be compromised, and healthcare must never be reduced to cost-cutting at the expense of human lives,” the forum stated.
While acknowledging the important role played by Community Health Extension Workers in public health delivery, the ENF explained that CHEWs are primarily trained for community-based functions such as health education, community mobilisation, contact tracing and the provision of basic support services.
The forum expressed concern that some CHEWs are increasingly being assigned or assuming responsibilities beyond their training and professional mandate, including the administration of injections and the overall management of primary healthcare centres.
According to the ENF, such practices expose patients to avoidable risks and undermine the integrity of the healthcare system.
The group further alleged that successive administrations in Lagos State have appointed CHEWs to head primary health care centres while replacing nurses with less-qualified personnel in the name of cost reduction and administrative convenience.
It warned that these practices have weakened clinical oversight and compromised patient safety, particularly in densely populated and underserved communities.
The forum welcomed the reported decision by the Lagos State Government to order a probe into the deaths of the twin boys, describing it as a step in the right direction. However, it stressed that the investigation must be comprehensive, transparent and result in concrete reforms rather than routine fact-finding exercises.
The ENF called on the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board to urgently review its staffing policies, strengthen regulatory enforcement and ensure that only appropriately trained and licensed professionals perform clinical procedures at primary healthcare facilities.
It also urged the state government to prioritise patient safety over cost considerations and to reinstate nurses to their rightful roles within the primary healthcare system.
As investigations continue, the forum appealed to the public to remain calm while demanding accountability and systemic reforms to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
The death of the twin babies has reignited debate over healthcare governance and professional regulation in Lagos State, with stakeholders calling for decisive action to restore public confidence and safeguard lives, especially among children and other vulnerable groups.
