Despite paying a medical fee as part of their school charges, which is meant to cover a health insurance scheme that should cover all or part of their treatment, students at Obafemi Awolowo University still lament the poor services at the school’s healthcare centre. The clinic, which is supposed to be the first point of call for students in need of medical care, has instead become a place many would rather avoid. In fact, a majority now prefer seeking treatment outside the campus, even if it means paying extra fees, rather than going to the school clinic. Complaints ranging from a lack of essential drugs, delayed treatment, and improper behaviour of staff have discouraged many from ever stepping into the facility again.
In this report, ACJ-OAU’s correspondent interviewed students who have had firsthand experiences using the health centre and shares their challenges.
A Visit Turned Sour— Esther’s Account
On Tuesday, April 8, 2025, Oladipupo Kemisola Esther, a 300-level student of Dramatic Art, visited the university’s health centre with what she thought was a minor complaint: chest pain. She expected a brief consultation and appropriate treatment, but what followed, she said, turned into one of the most distressing experiences of her life. ‘I was feeling chest pain that day, and for the first time, I decided to go to the school clinic,’ Esther recalled. ‘But that decision has remained one of my biggest regrets.’
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According to her, the doctor on duty, upon her arrival at the clinic, hastily concluded that she had an ulcer without carrying out any tests. He then prescribed medications for her to buy at the school pharmacy.
‘When I arrived at the clinic, the doctor I met asked me only a few questions and, without examining me, quickly concluded, ‘Do you know you have an ulcer?’ I was shocked to hear this and replied, ‘No.’ He then went on to prescribe drugs for me to buy at the pharmacy, which included Gecrol. That same day, I had to go to the pharmacy and purchase the drugs, including Jekro, with my own money.’
In the weeks that followed, as her condition worsened, she grew weak and fatigued. She explained, ‘At that point, I was no longer myself. I began experiencing unusual symptoms like a cough and a severe headache—things my body was not used to. I had no idea what was happening to me; I was completely confused.’
Continuing her account, she said, ‘When I noticed this, I went to the clinic the next day to complain. They told me it was malaria and gave me an antimalarial drug, which I took before leaving.
A few weeks later, after finishing the course of medication, I began having strange reactions again—dizziness, headaches, and other sensations I could not even explain. I was experiencing peculiar pains internally, and I thought, ‘I have never felt this way before; this is not me.’ In an attempt to inform the doctor that she felt the drugs were causing these reactions, she said he dismissed her concerns and insisted she take more malaria medicine and receive an injection.
‘I was wondering why they didn’t just run a test to find out what was really wrong instead of giving me drugs and injections arbitrarily. But I stayed quiet so they would not feel I was questioning their competence,’ she said.
She added, ‘When I saw that my condition was getting worse, I went back to the clinic and told them I did not have malaria, as I rarely fall ill. The doctor asked if I had used the drug he prescribed, and I said no. When he asked why, I explained that the drug always made me react poorly and that I knew my body; I was not having malaria. It was then that he told me to undergo some tests. The next day, I went to a lab for a test, and the result showed I did not have malaria at all. I took it back to the doctor, but surprisingly, he still instructed me to take the same malaria drug again. However, as I did not want to argue, I complied and took it.’
Despite the drugs and injections, Esther’s condition only worsened. Out of desperation, she requested a referral to the university’s teaching hospital for proper medical care, but to her surprise, she was told that she might have sickle cell disease. ‘When I was battling a severe headache, I had to beg them to refer me to the teaching hospital,’ she recalled. ‘But their response was that maybe I had sickle cell. I told them I did not. People who know me know I hardly fall ill, so this was completely strange to me,’ she said, frustration evident in her voice.
Recalling one of her most painful experiences at the clinic, she stated that despite her illness, neither the doctor nor the nurses showed much concern for her or the other patients on the ward. Instead, some of the staff seemed more interested in watching movies than in attending to them.
‘There was a day when I felt extremely dizzy and weak, so my friend had to accompany me to the clinic. We got there around 9:00a.m., and I was not attended to until almost 4:00 p.m. The shocking part was that only one doctor and a few nurses were on duty, yet none of them cared to check on us. They were just watching movies. It was only when a student, who had come along to support a sick friend, shouted in anger that they reluctantly decided to attend to us. It felt as if we did not matter,’ she recalled.
She explained that by this time, her condition had deteriorated, and she could barely hold herself upright. ‘I was shivering, feeling cold, and suffering from a terrible migraine I had never experienced before. That night, I was really scared. Eventually, a doctor came, said I would be admitted, gave me a bed, injected me, and placed me on a drip,’ she narrated.
Continuing her story, she said the Director later told the staff in Yorùbá, ‘Emá jè ká fi ìtìjú kó àrùn’—meaning, since they could no longer manage her case, she should be referred to OAUTHC the following day. ‘This was on a Thursday,’ she said, ‘and I told him I had a philosophy exam the next day. He then said that I would have to choose between my health and academics. He explained that the specialist he wanted me to see at the teaching hospital only worked from 8:00a.m., and after that, it would be impossible to meet her. He then advised me to weigh my options carefully, adding that whatever decision I made would be documented so they would not be held responsible for any outcomes. In the end, I gave in—I chose my health over academics. He assured me that he would prepare a referral letter the next day and assign a nurse to escort me there.’
She then recalled how the night she was admitted almost turned fatal, describing both her collapse and the cold response of the staff on duty. ‘That night, I got up to use the restroom. On my way back, everything suddenly went blurry. I felt dizzy, lost my balance, and collapsed. I did not even know when I passed out. It was my friend, Bisola, who saved me. She rushed to me, poured water on my face, and managed to drag me back onto the bed while screaming for help.
Next to me was another patient who had also been admitted that night. She was the one who, in a weak voice, told Bisola to knock on the door behind us, that a nurse should be there. When Bisola did, someone shouted angrily from inside, upset that she’d been woken up. When she eventually came out, instead of showing concern, she snapped at Bisola when she told her she had been looking for her, saying, ‘What do you mean? Looking for me where? Do not implicate me.’ She then came over to my bed, glanced at me, and, without any compassion, said, ‘There is nothing I can do about it.’ After that, she simply walked away,’ she said.
The next morning, Esther packed her bag, ready to leave for the teaching hospital with the nurse the Director had promised would accompany her. But to her shock, the nurse backed out, saying she had other assignments to attend to. She simply handed Esther the referral letter, leaving her to carry her own luggage despite her fragile state.
‘I had already packed my things and was waiting for the nurse the Director assigned to follow me,’ Esther recalled. ‘But to my surprise, she told me she could not follow me anymore because she had other important duties. She just gave me the referral letter, and I had to carry my bag myself to OAUTHC. Apart from the driver who dropped me there, no nurse went with me, nor did anyone even call to ask how I was doing. When I arrived, the neurologist was upset and insisted she would not attend to me unless someone from the health centre came or she was officially notified.’
At the teaching hospital, Esther explained that she had to begin all over again because the school’s health insurance scheme did not cover her care there. ‘I have already spent ₦60,000 since I started going to OAUTHC. I had to pay ₦6,000 for a new card the first day I visited, and I have been the one covering the cost of every test and consultation myself. I have done more than four different tests, and I can say that my condition is getting better, even though I have not fully recovered,’ she said.
When asked if the NHIS took care of part of her bills, she said, ‘The NHIS we paid for covers nothing here. Even the referral letter they gave me is useless because I still had to start afresh,’ she added with frustration. Esther also revealed that the Director of the health centre had reached out to her several times after the incident. ‘He has called me three times to apologise and even asked me to come to his office whenever I am free. But I have not gone because I do not want to go alone,’ she said softly.
A Pattern of Complaints
When ACJ’s correspondent spoke with students, many shared their frustrations about the health centre. Some reported that they were often asked to buy gloves and other basic items before receiving care. Others complained of being given prescriptions that did not match their illnesses, while also pointing out the carefree attitude of some staff.
For Hairat Balogun, a 400-level English (Education) student and member of the Association of Campus Journalists, visiting the health centre has become a routine. ‘I go to the school clinic too often,’ she admitted. She recalled one experience on 25 December 2023, when she felt very weak and went there for treatment. She said, ‘The staff on duty acted so unconcerned. The first thing they told me was to buy gloves before they could attend to me, and I had no money on me. It was not until they saw me crying where I was seated that they took me seriously,’ she recounted.
However, Hairat further noted that her experience was different when she visited again in April. This time, she stated, the doctor paid attention to her complaints, and even the nurses behaved better. ‘I feel like our constant reports are beginning to change them,’ she added.
A 200-level Psychology student, who requested anonymity, shared his troubling experience and described the clinic staff as careless. ‘My first visit was in January when my neighbour was down with severe malaria. I took her to the health centre, only to be told there was no doctor around. The nurse on duty checked her temperature and blood pressure, then asked us to wait. Later, we discovered the doctor had left the clinic without even informing the nurses. Meanwhile, my neighbour was groaning in pain, crying and saying that she was going to die. After almost an hour, a doctor walked in—not for us, but apparently to pick up something—and only then did he attend to her. The negligence I witnessed that day was shocking,’ he said.
He went on to recall other incidents. On one occasion, his friend was rushed to the clinic but was left unattended for four hours until one of the students lost their patience and confronted the staff. In another case, he noted that the man in charge of files abandoned his post during an emergency to get food, and by the time he returned, the patient had already been taken off campus for treatment.
‘I can’t even count all the terrible scenarios I have encountered when visiting the health centre; it is always terrible. Next session, I have made up my mind to record everything so there will be evidence to back up what I am saying. The staff there are just too mean,’ he added.
He also shared a disturbing incident involving a patient who had not eaten before being given an injection and soon began convulsing. ‘The doctor asked if he had eaten, and when he said no, the doctor brought out one thousand naira and instructed the nurses to buy him a Coke and ‘As E Dey Hot,’’ he recounted.
While standing outside, one of the nurses asked him to buy a puff-puff. ‘I bought it and gave her both the puff-puff and the ₦500 change. Later, I discovered she only delivered the puff-puff and kept the change in her bag before going home,’ he said.
That same day, the other nurse who collected a Coke from a woman selling drinks outside the clinic asked the patient to transfer money to the woman from whom she collected the drink, despite the doctor already sorting the bill. ‘Since the patient had no money in his Opay account, I ended up paying myself,’ he added. ‘These people are careless, and until someone dies one day, I think that will be when they realise how dangerous their behaviour is,’ he warned.
Esther Olatunji, a 300-level Law student, recounted that she only accompanied her friend to the clinic to get a document, but the visit turned out to be more difficult than expected. On arrival, the nurses insisted they would not be attended to unless they first bought gloves. She mentioned that the gloves are sold for ₦150 each, but they could not afford it at that moment as they had no money with them. They had to beg the nurse to use the ones she was already wearing. ‘After several pleas, the nurse eventually gave in and attended to us.’
A 300-level Dentistry student, who chose to remain anonymous, also shared his account of using the clinic when he sustained a cut on his head. According to him, the nurses attended to him properly but only asked him to buy a pair of gloves for ₦150 first before they could dress his wound. Afterwards, he was given a painkiller and Vitamin C.
When asked if Vitamin C prevents pain, he responded, ‘Vitamin C does not stop pain. It only helps the wound heal faster.’ He lamented the shortage of basic supplies at the clinic, including cotton wool, bandages, and essential drugs, appealing for the school management to provide these items since students already pay for healthcare services.
For many OAU students, the health centre, which is supposed to be their first stop for medical care, no longer serves that purpose. Instead, they choose to go to private clinics and chemists off-campus, paying out of pocket for care for which they have already been charged in their school fees.
TISHIP Standards and the Reality at OAU’s Health Centre
At Nigerian universities, healthcare for students is not merely a matter of goodwill; it is a statutory obligation backed by the Tertiary Institutions’ Social Health Insurance Programme (TISHIP) under the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA). The programme is designed to ensure that students have access to essential medical services without being burdened by additional out-of-pocket costs. In practice, this means that the medical fees paid as part of school charges should guarantee consultation, provision of basic drugs from the NHIA’s approved list, laboratory tests, minor surgical procedures, and referrals where necessary, all at no extra cost to the student.
The NHIA’s operational guidelines go further, requiring that 65 per cent of the capitation paid to accredited facilities be used solely for procuring and stocking medications for enrolees. Students, as enrollees, should never be handed prescriptions to purchase drugs from external pharmacies unless in rare cases where the medication is unavailable. Even in emergencies, the guidelines stipulate that students should be attended to at any NHIA-accredited facility, with the healthcare provider notifying the Health Maintenance Organisation (HMO) for coverage. Additionally, each institution is expected to establish a standing Arbitration Committee, comprising representatives from the Students’ Union, the clinic, the Dean of Student Affairs, and the NHIA or HMO, to handle grievances and ensure accountability.
Officials have repeatedly stressed the importance of these provisions. Dr. Lekan Ewenla, Managing Director of Ultimate Health, remarked, ‘There is no room for prescriptions to be given to enrolees to go and buy their medication outside the facility… 65 per cent of the capitation paid is meant to procure drugs and to be warehoused for enrolees.’ Likewise, at a joint NUC–NHIS workshop, Professor Julius Okojie, former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), assured stakeholders that the commission would ensure all universities fully implement the programme, adding that any university yet to comply would be brought on board.
However, despite these guarantees, the situation at the OAU Health Centre tells a different story. Students pay the stipulated medical fees each session, but reports suggest that the services fall far short of what TISHIP provides. Drugs are frequently out of stock, leaving students to buy medications from the OAU pharmacy or from outside vendors. In some cases, consultations are rushed, diagnostic tests are delayed, and referrals to hospitals off-campus, when given, shift the financial burden entirely back to the students. Complaints are often met with indifference, and there is little evidence of a functional complaint resolution framework as set up by the school management as required by NHIA regulations.
Response from the Dean of Student Affairs
In an interview with the Dean of Student Affairs, Professor J.A. Odedire, he stated that he was aware of Esther’s case. He explained that as soon as the report reached him, he quickly called the Director of the health centre to find out what really happened. According to him, it was important to investigate properly and ensure the story was balanced.
‘The moment I got the message, I called the Director immediately to ask what went on,’ he said. ‘One thing we must understand is that for any story to be fair, both sides have to be heard. People will always want to present their own version in a way that favours them,’ the Dean remarked.
In response to the complaint, the Dean defended the staff at the health centre. He explained that the director had already invited the student involved for a private discussion to personally look into what happened. According to him, the staff at the centre were doing their best. He added that he often visits the health centre himself, not for his own sake but because of the students. ‘Sometimes I take students there and use my position to say, ‘Please, do not delay this student because of files,’ and the staff have always responded positively,’ he said.
Professor Odedire then stressed that students’ indifference also adds to the challenges faced at the health centre. He noted that many fail to complete their registration, which often makes record-keeping and follow-up care difficult for personnel at the clinic. ‘Without proper records, it is easy to make mistakes when attending to patients,’ he explained. ‘Just last week, I spoke with a final-year student who confessed she had never visited the centre since her first year on campus. Now, if such a person suddenly falls ill and goes there, how do you expect them to trace her medical record or know the right steps to take? And that is just one case among many others,’ he said.
The Dean did not hold back when reacting to the allegation that a doctor prescribed drugs without proper consultation. He described the action as nothing short of unprofessional. ‘I cannot imagine that a doctor would prescribe drugs or give injections to a patient without properly diagnosing the patient first; that is unacceptable,’ he said firmly. ‘As I mentioned earlier, the Director has taken up the matter, though I am yet to receive any feedback from him. But one thing is clear: treating patients in that manner is highly unprofessional.’
However, he expressed reservations about the account and explained the standard diagnostic procedure at the centre, which involves a checklist of questions to thoroughly understand a patient’s condition. ‘From the story, she indicated she went there more than once, but what I cannot ascertain is whether it was the same person who kept attending to her each time, or if every staff member at the clinic behaved the same way. Normally, before they prescribe any medication, they will ask you questions. All those questions are leading to identifying what the problem is,’ he explained.
He further elaborated on the medical rationale behind this questioning, explaining how it helps practitioners narrow down the potential causes of a common symptom like a fever. ‘When you arrive and complain about having a temperature, there is a checklist they will follow. For instance, a fever is common to several diseases and is merely a symptom. Therefore, it is standard procedure for them to execute their checklist and ask important questions like: ‘Do you have a headache?’ or ‘Do you have a stomachache?’ This is to help them discover what the real issue might be, narrowing down to what may likely, I stress the word “likely”, be the problem.’
He went on to explain that when a patient does not respond to treatment, the normal protocol is to return to the clinic for another check-up. Hence, he found it surprising that things played out differently in this case. ‘Normally, if I take a prescribed medication for two or three days and do not feel any better, the expected course of action is to return to the doctor for re-evaluation. That should be the standard procedure, which is why I was surprised by what happened. But I am not saying it did not occur,’ he noted.
Drawing from experience, the Dean explained that students sometimes escalate situations beyond the norm, creating a narrative that may not fully align with the facts. ‘As the Dean, I have seen quite a few cases. I have encountered students in the past who escalate matters unnecessarily. One student created a false narrative and went to the Union office to report that he had been in the clinic since morning and had not been attended to. The then Union leaders followed him there in full rage, ready to confront staff at the clinic. However, when they arrived, the person in charge of records came out and showed them the number of times he had called that particular student. In each instance, it was a no-show. That was how the whole claim fell apart. So yes, students can sometimes fabricate unnecessary stories, although I am not saying it occurs in every case.’
On Esther’s claim that she was given a drug to which she had already reacted, the Dean highlighted that patients should never be afraid to speak up about allergies or negative reactions. ‘For me, that is not being wise. You have the right to inform your doctor about any allergies. That is why doctors ask questions before prescribing certain drugs or injections, especially for patients with conditions like ulcers. These questions help them understand your health and determine the safest treatment for you,’ he said.
Regarding the student’s decision to accept a medication she knew was harmful to her, the Dean expressed his bewilderment, suggesting it showed a lack of self-preservation and amounted to what he termed ‘stupidity.’ ‘If you know this substance is poison to you, and somebody offers it to you, and you still choose to take it, then I can say it is stupidity. Perhaps she is being naive too, I do not know. But it does not add up, as far as I am concerned. If something is not right with your body and you continue to take it, then that means you do not love yourself. It is as simple as that.’
Speaking about the nurse who neglected Esther on the night she was admitted, the Dean stated, ‘She should count herself lucky that nothing happened to her because if anything had gone wrong with that girl, she would be held responsible for it. So, just disregard the narrative of somebody shouting; that is unprofessional. If it has occurred, it is unfortunate. But that does not reflect the practice of the profession.’
On the matter of health insurance, the Dean explained that students are covered under the Tertiary Institution Social Health Insurance Programme (T-SHIP), not the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). He added that T-SHIP is only connected to the Seventh-Day Adventist Hospital, not the Teaching Hospital. ‘We often face administrative bottlenecks with the whole NHIS issue,’ he said. ‘Currently, what students utilise is T-SHIP, which operates differently from NHIS. And to be clear, our T-SHIP is linked only with the Seventh-Day Adventist Hospital, not the Teaching Hospital.’
He clarified an important point about referrals, explaining that students sent from a partner hospital to the Teaching Hospital often fall into a coverage gap where their T-SHIP no longer applies. ‘In other words, once you reach the Teaching Hospital, your T-SHIP wo not cover your expenses. However, if it is a serious case that the health centre had already started handling before the referral, the university will take responsibility for the bills,” he explained.
Additionally, Professor Odedire delivered a direct and crucial piece of advice for the student populace, warning them that their T-SHIP does not work at the Teaching Hospital under the current arrangement. ‘If any student is referred, they should be informed that their T-SHIP does not work in the Teaching Hospital. We have been working on that to see how we can bring them under the Teaching Hospital. But as it stands, for now, no. That is why, usually, every referral is to the Seventh-Day Adventist Hospital.’
According to him, the arrangement with the Teaching Hospital collapsed because the intermediary Health Management Organisation (HMO) failed to remit payments. ‘When we pay the service provider and they refuse to remit money to the hospital, the hospital will sever the link and say, ‘No, you are owing us too much. If you cannot settle your outstanding debts, we will not attend to your patients again.’ That was what led to the current situation with the Teaching Hospital.’
He concluded by noting that while the university is still making efforts to liaise with the hierarchies at the Teaching Hospital, students must pay out-of-pocket at the Teaching Hospital until the issue is resolved. ‘We cannot restore the arrangement until the debt problem is fixed, and it is not our fault. It is part of the school fees you pay. Therefore, any student going to the Teaching Hospital must pay unless they are under 18 and covered by a parent’s NHIS,’ he stated.