“Doctors are targeted and kidnapped”: crimes and insecurity contribute to health problems and constrain the delivery of health services in urban settings in Nigeria

Nigeria ranked third in Africa and eleventh globally in the 2024 Crime Index. Despite the country’s endemic crime level, its impact on the health sector has been under-researched. A CHORUS Innovation Fund project examined the impact of crime on the health and well being of urban residents and the health facilities, in selected urban Local Government Areas in Abia and Anambra states in the south-eastern part of Nigeria.

The study highlights the intersection of crime and public health in urban Nigeria, and the complex challenges that demand urgent and coordinated action.  Health facilities and workers are increasingly vulnerable to threats, causing disruptions to essential service delivery and contributing to rising morbidity and mortality. The findings underscore the necessity of adopting a multisectoral response, and crime prevention must be mainstreamed, recognising that safeguarding health extends beyond clinical care to include the broader social and environmental determinants of wellbeing.  Addressing the interwoven nature of crime and health challenges in urban Nigeria and other similar low-resource contexts requires holistic strategies, persistent political will, and genuine community engagement.

Read the full article here: “Doctors are targeted and kidnapped”: crimes and insecurity contribute to health problems and constrain the delivery of health services in urban settings in Nigeria

Orjiakor TC, Agu E, Agwu P, Ogbozor PA, Obodoechi DN, Orjiakor C, Odii A, Ugwuoke C, Eze J, Bowes N and Onwujekwe O (2026) “Doctors are targeted and kidnapped”: crimes and insecurity contribute to health problems and constrain the delivery of health services in urban settings in Nigeria. Front. Public Health 13:1671252. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1671252