A civic technology group, MonITNG, has raised alarm over the prolonged abandonment of a Primary Healthcare Centre in Dokuma, a remote community in the Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. The facility, constructed in 2019 by the Community and Social Development Project (CSDP), has remained unused, unstaffed, and unequipped for over six years.
In a statement it issued MonITNG described the situation as a “humanitarian failure” and called on FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike; Senator Ireti Kingibe; Executive Secretary of the FCT Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Muyi Aina; and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) to take immediate action.
The group in the statement urged the immediate deployment of qualified healthcare personnel to the facility, the provision of essential medical equipment and drugs, as well as connection of the centre to electricity and clean water sources.
MonITNG emphasized, “The people of Dokuma have waited long enough,” the group adding, “It is time for meaningful action.”
It continued, “What we found was deeply troubling.”
“The health facility lacks electricity, water, medical equipment, and essential drugs. All that stands is the structure of what was meant to be a vital healthcare hub.”
Yet, MonITNG says communities like Dokuma continue to suffer neglect, despite their location in the heart of Nigeria’s capital.
Despite persistent appeals to government authorities since 2019, residents say they have received no response. In a desperate move, the community appointed a local youth to oversee the centre without formal medical training or government support. Families are left to purchase their own medicines, often storing them in unsafe conditions due to the lack of refrigeration.
The health implications are dire. Residents rely on untreated river water for drinking, bathing, and cooking—conditions that have contributed to widespread typhoid fever, especially among children. Pregnant women are particularly at risk, with many forced to travel long distances to neighbouring Kaduna State to access emergency care due to poor roads and a lack of healthcare access in Bwari.
“This situation is not just about a disused building. It is about the lives lost, children suffering, and mothers giving birth under unsafe conditions,” the group stressed.
Between 2019 and 2023, the FCT administration reportedly allocated billions of naira to the health sector, with support from international partners such as the World Bank, UNICEF, and the Global Fund.
