From Taiye Joseph, Ilorin
Anaesthesiologists at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Kwara State, have called for sustained investment in workforce training, modern equipment and infrastructure to strengthen patient safety and improve surgical outcomes in Nigeria.
The experts made the call on Friday, in Ilorin, during a sensitisation rally organised to commemorate the 2026 World Anaesthesia Day, stressing that inadequate personnel and equipment remained major challenges confronting the specialty in many healthcare facilities.
The 2026 celebration, themed “Before, During and Beyond Surgery,” aligns with the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists’ presidential theme for 2026–2028, “Anaesthesiology Along the Patient Pathway.”
Speaking at the event, the Head of the Department of Anaesthesia at UITH, Dr Joshua Oni, said the annual celebration, observed on October 16, was an opportunity to reflect on the evolution of modern anaesthesia and recognise the contributions of practitioners to safe medical care.
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He recalled that the first public demonstration of ether anaesthesia in October 1846 revolutionised surgical practice by transforming operations from painful and traumatic experiences into safer medical procedures.
Oni, however, said the significance of the day extended beyond historical remembrance to recognising the contributions of physician anaesthetists, nurse anaesthetists, anaesthetic technicians and intensive care unit nurses.
“This year’s theme highlights the continuum of care provided by anaesthetists, from pre-operative assessment to intra-operative care, post-operative pain management and intensive care,” he said.
He described anaesthetists as the often-unseen professionals responsible for ensuring patients’ comfort and safety before, during and after surgery.
According to him, their responsibilities extend to painless childbirth, resuscitation, acute pain management and the treatment of critically ill patients in intensive care units.
The UITH department head identified inadequate public awareness of anaesthesiology, coupled with shortages of trained personnel and modern equipment in many health facilities, as challenges requiring urgent attention.
He called for stronger advocacy and increased investment in the specialty to improve patient safety and surgical outcomes.
Also speaking, a Professor of Anaesthesia at the University of Ilorin’s Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Benjamin Bolaji, said advances in modern surgery would not have been possible without improvements in anaesthesia.
Bolaji explained that the specialty had evolved beyond administering drugs to make patients unconscious during operations, noting that advances in medications and monitoring equipment had significantly improved safety.
“Anaesthetists provide pain services for cancer pain, low back pain and arthritis, manage critically ill patients in the ICU, and are involved in the resuscitation of patients with sudden cardiac arrest,” he said.
He also clarified that not all surgical procedures required general anaesthesia, explaining that regional anaesthesia could allow patients to undergo certain operations while remaining awake and free from pain.
According to him, the technique can be used for caesarean sections and various lower-limb and pelvic surgeries, depending on the patient’s condition and the procedure involved.
In his remarks, the Acting Chief Medical Director of UITH, Professor Bilyaminu Abayomi, described the hospital as one of Nigeria’s leading centres for anaesthesia practice.
Abayomi recalled that when the institution operated as City Hospital, it had only three specialists working as a team, adding that the growth in the number and quality of its specialists had strengthened its capacity over the years.
He said surgery before the advent of modern anaesthesia was characterised by excruciating pain, often requiring several people to restrain patients during operations.
“Today, surgery is defined by comfort, precision and safety because of anaesthesiology,” he said.
The acting CMD commended anaesthetists for their dedication and often-unrecognised contributions to healthcare delivery, assuring the department of management’s continued support for equipment, infrastructure development and professional training.
He added that the hospital management had directed that all theatre equipment and other operational needs be properly documented to facilitate prompt intervention.
The experts urged sustained collaboration among hospital administrators, government and other stakeholders to address workforce and equipment gaps, noting that strengthening anaesthesia services was essential to safer surgery and better patient outcomes.
