Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jabi, Abuja, has given a detailed account of the circumstances surrounding the death of Abuja-based singer, Ifunanya Nwangene, popularly known as Nanyah.
Gatekeepers News reports that the hospital explained that the hospital’s efforts were undermined by her delayed arrival for emergency treatment.
Saad Ahmed, chief medical director of the hospital, said the 26-year-old was brought in more than two hours after she was bitten by a snake at her residence, a delay he described as critical and life-threatening.
According to him, by the time she reached the hospital, the venom had already spread through her system, making it extremely difficult to reverse the damage.
Nwangene’s death, which occurred on February 3, sparked widespread reactions on social media, with many Nigerians questioning the readiness of emergency healthcare services in the country. Some online reports also alleged that the hospital failed to administer anti-venom promptly, a claim Ahmed strongly denied.
Speaking on Saturday during the Senate Committee on Health’s 2026 budget defence session, Ahmed said the medical team acted swiftly once the patient arrived. He said two doses of anti-venom were immediately administered, but the delay had already allowed the venom to cause severe internal complications.
“First, I want to extend my condolences to the family and friends of the deceased, but I would say this is a case of a cobra,” he said.
“Cobra is the most poisonous snake that we know, and time is of essence from when one gets bitten and then to access that care.”
“She presented to our hospital over two hours after she was bitten by that cobra, and by that time, she had already started manifesting with some systemic envenomation.”
“And contrary to what we see in social media, that we didn’t have a snake venom, two doses were promptly given.”
“First dose was given, where the infusion, after that one, another dose was given.”
“So she had two doses of snake venom, but of course, the venom had already gone systemic, and we all know the cobra being highly poisonous.”
“If she had presented probably much earlier, within 10 to 15 minutes, usually that’s when anti-venoms become most effective, but she came over two hours after the deadly incident.”
Medical experts explain that cobra venom attacks the nervous system and vital organs rapidly, often leading to respiratory failure if treatment is delayed. They stress that immediate hospital care within minutes of a bite significantly increases survival chances.
Ahmed described the tragic incident as a reminder for hospitals across the country to strengthen their emergency response systems, especially for cases involving venomous bites and other sudden life-threatening conditions.
He added that FMC Jabi had adequate anti-snake venom in stock and fully prepared emergency staff on duty at the time.
“But for FMC Abuja, we had anti-snake venom, all stocked, and our emergency services are top-notch, and our staff were fully on ground,” he said.
Beyond the incident, the CMD also supported proposals to expand the centralised housemanship programme for newly graduated doctors to include state and private hospitals. He explained that this would help reduce the pressure on federal teaching hospitals and improve training opportunities.
“Housemanship is a period where young graduates in medicine go and learn hands-on before they can now go for their NYSC,” he said.
“So the federal hospitals, yes, almost all the federal tertiary hospitals are actually doing housemanship, but then the quota allocated is not enough.”
“It’s not like a classroom where you come to me and say I’m giving you 200; it has to be based on the number of beds, specialists, and facilities available.”
“So I think if the state government can key into this centralised system, it’s going to help a great deal.”
“So I think when we have all this centralised, it’s going to help; what the registrar of the Medical and Dental Council presented yesterday will just be history.”
Earlier, FMC had rejected claims that negligence by its staff contributed to Nwangene’s death, insisting that all standard emergency procedures were followed.
In response to the incident, senate has urged Federal Capital Territory Administration and state governments to establish a coordinated emergency referral and response network linking public and private hospitals.
Lawmakers said such a system would ensure faster access to critical treatment and prevent avoidable deaths during medical emergencies.
