Residents raise concern over poor services at Oyigbo community hospital

Residents of the Oyigbo urban community in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State have raised concern over poor services being rendered at Oyigbo Community Hospital.

The health centre located at the Umusoya part of Oyigbo was a beehive of activities when it was opened in 2013.

The hospital could then boast of modern facilities to treat all kinds of illnesses .

However, over the years, many of the facilities at the hospital are deteriorating due to lack of maintenance while old ones are not being replaced.

Some parts of the buildings at the centre, which have been abandoned,  have been taken over by weeds while the doctor’s quarters’ is no longer being occupied.

Residents, who spoke with our reporter, said the hospital only offers skeletal services to few patients now.

A resident, Pecillia Amaka recalled how she had her first baby in the hospital in 2013.

“This hospital was very active and functioning very well with a full workforce. The resident doctor was leaving in the quarters while all the facilities in the hospital were functioning very well.

“I had my first child in the hospital. My family was visiting the hospital for our routine medical checks but today the services at the hospital are skeletal.  Nearly all its facilities have broken down. There are no drugs. That is the reason why many residents have stopped coming to the hospital,”  she said.

She called on the government to  provide modern medical equipment, drugs as well as personnel at the hospital.

Another resident, Kenneth Ezinna, said it was sad that the hospital was being abandoned by the government.

“When this hospital was commissioned, many of the residents were patronising it. Women were delivered of their babies in the hospital. It’s very regrettable that only skeletal services are being offered now at the hospital,” he said.

He called on the government to renovate all the model primary health centres in the state, engage enough staff and equip them with modern medical facilities  to take care  of the health challenges of rural communities.

Mrs Victoria Agwu, who lives close to the hospital, said people hardly come to the centre for treatment because of the deteriorating services.

Our reporter did not see any medical personnel when he visited the  hospital just as the entrance gate was under lock with a padlock.

Efforts to speak with the commissioner for health and the state director of primary health did not yield any result.

Governor Nyesom Wike  had said that his administration will complete all the health centres and hospitals started by his predecessor. The governor had recently renovated General Hospitals located in the senatorial districts of the State.