The Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abuja, has responded to the public backlash surrounding the death of singer Ifunanya ‘Nanyah’ Nwangene, who reportedly died following a snake bite at her residence.
The incident, which gained widespread attention on social media on Sunday, triggered intense debate over the readiness of public hospitals to handle medical emergencies, particularly snake bite cases.
Members of Nwangene’s music group, Amemuso Choir, had claimed that the singer was turned away from two hospitals due to the alleged unavailability of anti-venom before eventually reaching FMC.
Speaking to TheCable, Sam Ezugwu, the choir’s music director, recounted the singer’s final moments. He said he rushed to FMC after noticing an alarming post on Nwangene’s social media page and met her in critical condition on arrival.
According to Ezugwu, medical staff explained that the treatment required two doses of anti-venom but only one dose was immediately available and was administered. He admitted that FMC attended to her upon arrival but emphasised that valuable time had been lost earlier while searching for medical help.
Ezugwu added that a doctor later informed him that the venom had already circulated through her body by the time she arrived at the hospital.
Following her death, criticism erupted online, with health advocate and content creator Aproko Doctor condemning what he described as the frequent absence of vital, life-saving drugs such as anti-venom in public hospitals.
In a detailed statement, FMC Abuja rejected allegations of negligence, insisting that its medical team acted swiftly and appropriately.
“We want to clarify that the management team at Federal Medical Centre, Abuja acted promptly and with the utmost care upon Ms. Nwagene’s arrival,” the statement read.
“Our medical staff provided immediate and appropriate treatment, including resuscitation efforts, intravenous fluids, intranasal oxygen, and the administration of polyvalent snake antivenom.”
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The hospital disclosed that its assessment showed the singer had “suffered severe neurotoxic complications” resulting from the snake bite.
“After a thorough but quick evaluation, it was clear that Ms. Nwagene suffered severe neurotoxic complications from the snake bite,” FMC stated.
It further explained that while arrangements were being made to move her to the intensive care unit, her condition suddenly worsened.
“Despite all efforts to stabilize her condition and transfer her to the Intensive Care Unit for further treatment, she experienced a sudden deterioration just before the transfer,” the statement added.
“Our team of professionals worked diligently to provide CPR and other life-saving measures; however, despite these efforts, we were unable to revive her.”
FMC firmly dismissed claims that anti-venom was unavailable or that its response was inadequate, describing such allegations as “unfounded”.
“We stand by the quality of care and dedication our team demonstrates daily. The claims of non-availability of anti-snake venom and inadequate response are unfounded and do not reflect the reality of the situation,” the hospital said.
The management also urged the public to rely on verified information rather than online speculation.
“We are committed to transparency and integrity in our practices and will continue to pursue excellence in patient care,” it added.
“In light of these events, we encourage our community to engage with credible sources for information and updates rather than relying on social media speculation. We remain available for any further inquiries or clarifications.”