04/09/2026
NEUROLOGICAL EMERGENCIES: WE MUST DO BETTER
Yesterday, I received a distressing call about a woman in her mid-40s who suddenly collapsed. She was taken from one facility to another, eventually reaching a private hospital with neurosurgical services. She was unconscious. An MRI was done and urgent surgery was recommended.
Yet, the family said they waited for more than five hours before the surgery was performed. They were also struggling to get a clear explanation of what exactly was wrong with their loved one & for what was going on in the ICU. They were so frustrated that someone had to suggest they reach out to me. Unfortunately, it started raining and I couldn't make it to the hospital immediately.
At about 9pm, she was dead.
This is painful. But beyond the grief, there is a lesson we must confront.
Not every hospital that offers neurosurgery is necessarily equipped to manage a neurological emergency.
There is a significant difference between planned neurosurgical procedures and life-threatening neurological emergencies. These emergencies require the right personnel, equipment, imaging, theatre, anaesthesia, critical care and - most importantly, the ability to act immediately.
If your facility is not adequately prepared, please refer early. Do not wait until the patient's condition deteriorates beyond recovery.
And to our healthcare professionals, I make another passionate appeal:
PLEASE TALK TO THE FAMILY.
Families have a right to know the diagnosis - or at least the suspected diagnosis - what is happening, what treatment is required, how urgent it is, and what options are available.
Do not hide information from families. Do not leave them confused and helpless while their loved one is fighting for life.
Good communication is not a favour. It is an essential part of compassionate healthcare.
A family that understands the situation can make informed decisions, mobilise resources faster and participate meaningfully in the patient's care.
Brain is time. Time is brain.
When neurological emergencies happen, every minute matters.
We cannot continue losing our people unnecessarily because of delayed intervention, inadequate emergency preparedness, poor referral systems or poor communication.
Know your capacity. Refer early. Act fast.
Communicate clearly. Save lives.
I am also appealing to families and the general public: when a loved one suddenly collapses, becomes unconscious, develops weakness on one side of the body, has difficulty speaking, experiences a sudden severe headache, seizures, loss of consciousness or other alarming neurological symptoms, treat it as an emergency.
Do not waste precious time moving from one facility to another without a clear plan.
Ask important questions:
What is the suspected diagnosis?
Is this facility equipped to manage this emergency?
Is the required specialist available?
Can surgery or definitive treatment be provided immediately if needed?
If not, where can the patient be transferred without delay?
Families deserve clear answers & patients deserve timely care.
And healthcare facilities must be honest about their capacity & capabilities.
This woman's death is another painful reminder that neurological emergencies require speed, competence, coordination and communication.
May her soul rest in peace.
And may this tragedy strengthen our collective resolve to build a healthcare system where no family has to watch a loved one deteriorate while desperately searching for a facility capable of saving them.
Again, Brain is time. Time is brain. In neurological emergencies, every minute matters.
โ Engr. Chika Okwuolisa
Founder, BRAIN & SPINE Foundation, Africa Brain & Spine Foundation Africa (BSFA)
