There has been an outpouring of grief in Nigeria following the death of an aspiring singer who died on Saturday after being bitten by a snake in the capital, Abuja.
Ifunanya Nwangene, 26, rose to prominence after appearing on The Voice Nigeria, the local version of the international TV singing competition, in 2021. She was known for her versatility, blending jazz, opera, classical music, and soul.
Videos shared on social media show a snake handler removing a snake from her apartment, as people nearby can be heard screaming: It is a cobra!
A close friend, Sam Ezugwu, the co-founder and music director of the Amemuso Choir where she sang, told the BBC that Nwangene was a rising star. He said she had been planning to stage her first solo concert later this year. She was also a trained architect.
Hillary Obinna, another friend who sang alongside her, told the BBC he was informed she had been asleep when the snake bite woke her up. He revealed that two snakes were later found in the house.
She first sought treatment at a nearby clinic but they did not have any antivenom, so she was taken to a hospital. Ezugwu described the hospital’s inadequate supply of antivenom, stating that while they had one type, they lacked the other necessary medications.
While they were trying to stabilize her, she could not speak but she could make hand gestures. She was struggling to breathe, he added. After leaving to find the missing antivenom, upon returning, he learned that she had succumbed.
Her untimely death has sparked a renewed debate in Nigeria about healthcare quality and patient safety, especially amid allegations of medical negligence that have plagued the system. The incident follows other recent tragedies that have raised public concern over health conditions in Nigeria.
Ezugwu noted, The entire choir went to the hospital that evening, hoping that a miracle would happen. Obinna remembered Nwangene as a very wonderful girl, humble, intelligent, and very talented.
The incident highlights systemic issues within biomedical care as public outrage grows, leading to the establishment of a national task force by Nigeria's health minister to tackle clinical governance and patient safety issues.
Nwangene’s death also raises a broader concern about snakebites in Nigeria, where many snakebite victims are believed to reside in rural areas. This case shocked many as it occurred in an affluent part of the capital.
According to the World Health Organization, snakebites are a significant health issue in tropical countries, with thousands of deaths each year in sub-Saharan Africa primarily due to insufficient healthcare resources and lack of antivenom availability.
Ifunanya Nwangene, 26, rose to prominence after appearing on The Voice Nigeria, the local version of the international TV singing competition, in 2021. She was known for her versatility, blending jazz, opera, classical music, and soul.
Videos shared on social media show a snake handler removing a snake from her apartment, as people nearby can be heard screaming: It is a cobra!
A close friend, Sam Ezugwu, the co-founder and music director of the Amemuso Choir where she sang, told the BBC that Nwangene was a rising star. He said she had been planning to stage her first solo concert later this year. She was also a trained architect.
Hillary Obinna, another friend who sang alongside her, told the BBC he was informed she had been asleep when the snake bite woke her up. He revealed that two snakes were later found in the house.
She first sought treatment at a nearby clinic but they did not have any antivenom, so she was taken to a hospital. Ezugwu described the hospital’s inadequate supply of antivenom, stating that while they had one type, they lacked the other necessary medications.
While they were trying to stabilize her, she could not speak but she could make hand gestures. She was struggling to breathe, he added. After leaving to find the missing antivenom, upon returning, he learned that she had succumbed.
Her untimely death has sparked a renewed debate in Nigeria about healthcare quality and patient safety, especially amid allegations of medical negligence that have plagued the system. The incident follows other recent tragedies that have raised public concern over health conditions in Nigeria.
Ezugwu noted, The entire choir went to the hospital that evening, hoping that a miracle would happen. Obinna remembered Nwangene as a very wonderful girl, humble, intelligent, and very talented.
The incident highlights systemic issues within biomedical care as public outrage grows, leading to the establishment of a national task force by Nigeria's health minister to tackle clinical governance and patient safety issues.
Nwangene’s death also raises a broader concern about snakebites in Nigeria, where many snakebite victims are believed to reside in rural areas. This case shocked many as it occurred in an affluent part of the capital.
According to the World Health Organization, snakebites are a significant health issue in tropical countries, with thousands of deaths each year in sub-Saharan Africa primarily due to insufficient healthcare resources and lack of antivenom availability.
