Residents of Polobubo (Tsekelewu) in the Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State have blamed the incessant deaths of pregnant women and children in the locality on the abandoned cottage hospital in the community.
This was contained in an open letter signed by the President of Polobubo (Tsekelewu) Bloc Communities, Mr. Paul Toruwei, addressed to the state Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, copies of which were made available to journalists.
The open letter noted that the community’s cottage hospital which was inaugurated and fully equipped at the cost of ₦596 million through a partnership between Chevron Nigeria Limited and the Egbema-Gbaramatu Community Development Foundation (EGCDF) was formally handed over to the state government in 2018.
“Sadly, the hospital has remained non-functional due to inadequate staffing, lack of essential equipment, and total government neglect.
“The result has been devastating; community members continue to suffer from treatable illnesses, delayed diagnoses, and needless deaths daily.
“There are no resident doctors, nurses, or technical staff, no presence of the medical professionals needed to provide even the most basic healthcare services.
“We have lost hundreds of souls, including children and pregnant women as a direct result of this hospital not functioning.
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“Conditions that should have been easily treated have become fatal due to the absence of prompt medical attention.
“The community mourns, not because help is impossible, but because it has been willfully withheld,” the letter said.
It added that community leaders have repeatedly raised concerns over these operational failures and have called on the state government to fulfill its obligations by providing a fully functional healthcare facility with qualified personnel and modern equipment.
According to the community, the hospital, which should be a pillar of life-saving services, has instead become a monument of despair and neglect.
“This failure is particularly unacceptable when viewed against the immense contributions of the Polobubo (Tsekelewu) community to the economic strength of Delta State and the nation at large,” the community stated.
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The letter then reminded Gov. Oborevwori of the need to rehabilitate the abandoned cottage hospital and to ensure that the Polobubo community is not a forgotten outpost.
