It was learned that the health centre is currently in a deplorable state, with broken ceilings, doors and windows.
A recent visit to the Abuekpo-Mpam Health Centre in Ogoja, Cross River State, has revealed a shocking level of neglect and abandonment.
The current state of the medical facility has dozens of residents in four communities in the state continue to suffer because it lacks modern appliances and medical equipment to make health services more accessible to them.
It was learned that the health centre is currently in a deplorable state, with broken ceilings, doors and windows.
According to a report by Orodata Science, a civic-tech organization, the health centre lacks basic medical equipment, including hospital beds, wards, and consulting rooms. The report also revealed that the health centre has only one health worker, a Community Health Extension Worker (CHEW), who is struggling to provide medical care to the community.
The health worker, who spoke to Orodata Science, expressed frustration and despair at the lack of resources and support.
“We need a new building, a real health centre,” the health worker said. “We need medical supplies, doctors, and nurses. We need training and support to do our job effectively.”
The report reads: “Inside, it’s worse. Hospital beds? None. Wards? None. Consulting rooms? Zero. It feels like walking through the remains of something that once mattered but was abandoned to fend for itself. There’s no waiting area, no pharmacy, not even a restroom to call ‘functional.’ If a sick person shows up here, they’ll be greeted by a hollow building and a single health worker trying to fight a losing battle.”
From the CheckmyPHC tool research, a product from Orodata Science, Abuekpo-Mpam’s PHC, is the only lifeline for four communities.
The report continued: “Fifty people depend on it every year—though ‘depend’ feels like the wrong word because, here, hope is the only medicine available.
“When we met the lone health worker—a Community Health Extension Worker (CHEW)—there was a tired resolve in their voice. No doctors. No nurses. Just them. Alone. Imagine being the one person people turn to in their moment of despair, only to realize there are no syringes, no bandages, no disinfectant—nothing.”
“The supply list is staggering: of 18 critical medical items, all were missing. Gloves, thermometers, oxygen, a fridge for vaccines—all absent. And yet, this health post still opens its broken doors on weekends. What choice does it have?
“To make matters worse, there’s no power here. No solar panels, no generator, not even the flicker of light from the grid. Water? The rain and nearby streams are all that the PHC relies on—dirty, unpredictable sources. It’s hard not to ask: is this where lives are meant to be saved?
“For families in Abuekpo-Mpam, getting to this PHC often means walking on foot or pedalling a bicycle for miles. Those too sick to move must wait out their illness at home. Referrals to bigger hospitals? None. Without proper diagnosis and equipment, the health worker’s hands are tied.
“We need a new building. A real health centre,” a community source was quoted in the Orodata report.
“It’s hard to argue. This place is long past renovation—it needs to be rebuilt. Walls that stand straight, doors that lock, and roofs that keep the rain out. Medical supplies to treat patients, doctors to diagnose them, and nurses to care for them,” the report added.
