Inside 20-year-old health centre in FCT village

Residents of the Kahodahannu community in Gaube ward, Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have expressed concern over the dilapidated state of their health centre and lack of medical personnel. Some residents who spoke with Abuja Metro on Monday said the facility, built over 20 years ago, has remained in a deplorable […]

Residents of the Kahodahannu community in Gaube ward, Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have expressed concern over the dilapidated state of their health centre and lack of medical personnel.

Some residents who spoke with Abuja Metro on Monday said the facility, built over 20 years ago, has remained in a deplorable state, forcing patients to travel to the neighboring Pegi community for medical treatment.

They also complained that the equipment at the facility is decaying due to years of abandonment by successive council administrations.

Mr. Yohana Musa, a community member, told our reporter that the facility’s condition is a major challenge for the residents.

He noted that patients—especially pregnant women—travel to Pegi for antenatal care due to the bad state of the facility and the lack of medical staff.

According to him, the dearth of equipment has forced residents to seek alternative medical options elsewhere.

“In fact, I am happy that you are here in this community. You can see the state of the facility for yourself to believe what I am telling you about the challenges patients have been facing,” he said.

Another resident, Dangami Joseph, said the deplorable state of the clinic makes accessing healthcare nearly impossible.

He noted that beyond the lack of equipment, the roof of the centre was blown off by a windstorm, causing the building to flood whenever it rains.

“Apart from the dilapidated state of the facility, we only have one volunteer who  attend to patients with minor cases,” Joseph added.

During a tour of the facility, our reporter observed that portions of the roof had been blown off and the ceilings had caved in. Only a few beds were found in both the male and female wards.

Markus Habila, secretary to the community head, conducted the tour and lamented the lack of access to healthcare.

He said the community, through the village chief, had written to the council authorities several times regarding the state of the facility, but they have yet to receive a positive response.

He recalled an incident early last year when two pregnant women were forced to deliver at home after going into labour at night.

“They ended up putting to bed at home because it was late at night and there was no way to convey them to the neighboring Pegi community,” he said.

Habila noted that during the electioneering period, residents listed the health centre as a top priority to visiting chairmanship candidates.

“We hope that the incoming elected chairman of Kuje Area Council, who visited this community during his campaign, will look into the state of our health centre, renovate it, and provide the personnel needed to run it,” he said.