By Emma Elekwa
Residents of Ezinifite community in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State were thrown into celebration following the reconstruction and equipping of the Ajam Community Hospital by the Council Chairman, Dr. Chibueze Oforbuike.
The once dilapidated health facility, which had become a source of concern to members of the community, has now been given a new lease of life through the intervention of the council administration.
Speaking during the commissioning ceremony, Oforbuike said the decision to renovate and equip the hospital was informed by the deplorable condition of the facility and the urgent need to improve access to quality healthcare for residents of the area.
According to him, the project aligns with Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s private-public-community partnership initiative, which encourages communities and individuals to collaborate with government in driving development.
“When we came here after our attention was drawn to the condition of this hospital, I was shocked by the level of decay. That motivated us to embark on this reconstruction and complete it within a short time,” he said.
“We did not only renovate the building; we also equipped it to make it functional.
“However, what we have done is just the beginning. The hospital still requires more support and investment from patriotic sons and daughters of Ezinifite.”
The chairman described the hospital as a critical healthcare facility with huge potential to grow into a standard referral or teaching hospital in the future if adequately supported.
He urged the town leadership and wealthy members of the community to take ownership of the project and contribute towards its continued development and sustainability.
Resources within us
“The resources needed to develop our communities are within us. Government alone cannot do everything. This hospital can become one of the best healthcare facilities in the area if the people come together to support it,” he added.
Commissioning the male and female wards of the hospital, Chief Medical Director of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH), Awka, Dr. Maureen Umeakuewulu, described the revitalization of the facility as timely and impactful.
She noted that strengthening community hospitals and primary healthcare centres would significantly reduce maternal mortality and other preventable deaths in rural communities.
“Nigeria contributes greatly to global maternal mortality statistics, and many of these deaths occur at home and in underserved communities,” she said.
“If community hospitals are properly equipped and staffed, deaths before, during, and after childbirth will reduce drastically.”
Umeakuewulu explained that the Teaching Hospital’s vision is anchored on improved clinical services, manpower development, and research, adding that functional community hospitals are essential for an effective referral system across the state.
She assured the community of the Teaching Hospital’s willingness to partner with them by providing technical support and professional assistance to ensure efficient healthcare delivery at the facility.
The CMD, however, emphasized the need for the community to play active roles in sustaining the hospital by protecting healthcare workers and ensuring the availability of essential infrastructure such as power supply, water, perimeter fencing, ambulance services, and adequate security.
24-hour doctor coverage
“For hospitals like this to function effectively, there must be 24-hour doctor coverage, stable power supply, water, and other support systems that enable healthcare services to thrive,” she stated.
She commended Governor Soludo for prioritizing healthcare development in the state and also praised the Aguata Council Chairman for restoring life to the facility.
A stakeholder in the community, Chief Titus Anigbogu, also appealed to affluent indigenes of Ezinifite to invest in the hospital as a way of leaving lasting legacies that would benefit future generations.
Traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Bob Orji, expressed gratitude to the council chairman for responding to one of the community’s most pressing needs.
The monarch recalled that the hospital was originally built through communal self-help efforts and said its reconstruction would greatly improve healthcare delivery in the area.
He also lauded the efforts of the COOUTH management in strengthening healthcare systems across communities in the state.
The event climaxed with the enrollment of 120 residents of the community into the Anambra State Health Insurance Agency (ASHIA) scheme by Dr. Oforbuike, a move widely applauded by residents as another step towards improving access to affordable healthcare.
