Corridors of Despair: How Nigeria’s Teaching Hospitals Leave Patients’ Relatives Sleeping on Floors, Battling Mosquitoes and Rain

Introduction
From staircases to bare concrete, relatives of patients admitted to Nigeria’s foremost teaching hospitals spend nights in corridors because there are no lodges or resting places. The situation exposes them to rain, mosquitoes, filthy toilets, and exhaustion – turning caregiving into a public‑health risk.
The Human Stories
Victim Hospital Experience
A.O. Yusuf – Sokoto businessman and new father Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto After his wife was admitted post‑childbirth, a nurse told him to leave the ward at 2 am. He spent hours walking the compound in heavy rain, with soaked clothes, no mat or wrapper. He later fell ill and lost three days of work.
Tochukwu – Caregiver for a stroke patient University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan For nearly two months he slept on staircases or sat on corridor floors. Mosquito bites covered his arms; he contracted malaria and severe fatigue.
Anonymous caregiver – UCH Ibadan University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan Family spent three weeks caring for a critically ill relative. “We slept like animals.” Mosquitoes were unbearable; toilets were dirty and sometimes locked. She developed trauma lasting months.
Ayotunde Quadri – Lagos man (not real name) Teaching hospital in Lagos After discharge he slept for three straight days because fatigue overwhelmed him.
These accounts illustrate a pattern: relatives perform essential duties (feeding, bathing, fetching drugs) yet receive no safe place to rest.
Why Caregiver Lodges Matter

• Staff shortage: Professor Tanimola Akande (Public Health, Ilorin) explains that hospitals rely on relatives because of massive staff gaps, especially in public facilities.
• Patient safety: Sleep‑deprived caregivers miss instructions, make medication errors, and spread infections (Ayo Adebusoye, public‑health advocate).
• Equity: Many families cannot afford nearby hotels; a modest, clean lodge is a basic right, not a luxury.
• Evidence: Kudus Adebayo et al.’s study shows caregivers report stress, pain, sleeplessness, mental strain, and heightened infection risk when forced to sleep in corridors.
  Existing Fragments of Relief
• UCH Caritas Waiting Lounge (commissioned Nov 2024) – caregivers rent hard cartons (₦500) and mats (₦1,000) on benches; has power and inverters.
• Alaanu House (UCH) – limited rooms for admitted patients’ relatives; nightly fee ₦200‑₦400.
• Still insufficient: demand far exceeds supply, leaving most relatives on floors or staircases.
  Voices of the Experts
• Prof. Tanimola Akande – calls for enforceable standards, electronic medical records, and efficient payment systems to cut “running around.”
• Ayo Adebusoye – recommends functional hand‑washing stations, gender‑segregated toilets, mosquito nets, converting unused halls into supervised night zones, and PPP‑financed “Patient Attendants’ Quarters.”
• Alexander Agara (Clinical Psychologist) – chronic stress leads to anxiety, depression, PTSD‑like symptoms; hospitals must provide caregiver liaison officers, respite pathways, and mental‑health referrals.
• Legal/policy anchor: National Health Act (2014) and NCDC IPC guidelines demand humane environments; enforcement is lacking.
  What Must Happen Now

1. Immediate low‑cost measures
   • Hand‑washing points at every ward.
   • Clean toilets with running water and gender signs.
   • Mosquito control (nets, fumigation).
   • Convert spare spaces into night shelters with bunks, lockers, and drinking water.
2. Medium‑term infrastructure
   • Dedicated Patient Attendants’ Quarters (male/female rooms) with bathing facilities, security, and affordable fees; waivers for indigent families.
   • Align designs to Nigeria’s WASH‑in‑Health‑Care Facilities guidelines.
3. Systemic reforms
   • Ban sleeping in corridors; enforce sleeping zones.
   • Integrate caregiver accommodation into hospital capital plans and PPP pipelines.
   • State Ministries of Health to enforce minimum facility standards and monitor compliance.
4. Supportive care
   • Routine caregiver assessments at admission.
   • Liaison officers for logistics, mental‑health screening, and respite pathways.
     Conclusion
     The absence of relatives’ lodges turns hospital corridors into breeding grounds for infection, exhaustion, and trauma for those who sustain patient care. Providing safe, affordable resting spaces is not a peripheral amenity; it is central to dignified, safe healthcare delivery in Nigeria.