The deplorable state of Mokwa General Hospital

Health is wealth is a saying that is very popular among our people. True, health is wealth; it is when you are healthy that you can do anything.

Unfortunately, in this part of the world, our people are in need of proper medication, but it is lacking due to insufficient medical facilities and personnel.

And where you have health facilities, most of them are in bad shape, no  equipment.

This is the case of Mokwa, the headquarters of Mokwa local government area. The town is the fifth biggest in Niger state. Its location is very strategic, it is the gateway between the southern and northern part of Nigeria.

Mokwa General Hospital was established in 1986. It is one of the biggest hospitals in Niger state. Unfortunately, the hospital is in a deplorable state, with the dearth of medical personnel.

The hospital needs quick intervention from the Niger state government. All  the structures are in bad shape, most of the roofs leak whenever it rains for the past three years. Sixteen nurses were transferred to other hospitals without replacement.

The hospital used to have two youth corps doctors and six resident doctors but today, the hospital is left with only two medical doctors. This is a hospital that receives more than 100 accident victims in some days due to the location of the hospital .

The hospital mortuary and generating set had been vandalised by scavengers due to poor security. The hospital has no fence since it was established making it vulnerable to scavengers.

Whenever there is no public power supply, activities in the hospital grind to a halt. The hospital laboratory is also not in good condition.

Our prayers to Niger state government and other health agencies are:

The hospital needs major renovation, total overhauling;  the hospital should be fenced; the laboratory should be equipped; more doctors and other medical personnel should be deployed to the hospital with immediate effect; the pharmaceutical store should be stocked with more drugs; the road leading to the hospital should be renovated.

In view of the above, it is glaring that the Mokwa General Hospital has been neglected for a very long time. It is high time the state government did the needful. We also seek help from health donors to come to the rescue of the people as lives are being lost on a daily basis due to the deplorable state of the hospital.

Usman Gana

for: Mokwa Community,

Niger state

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