…Urges Urgent Action
A civic technology platform, MonITNG, has sounded the alarm over the deteriorating condition of the General Hospital in Sabongidda-Ora, Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State, urging Governor Monday Okpebholo to intervene urgently before the facility becomes completely unusable.
In a post shared via its official X handle on Friday, MonITNG described the hospital as “a symbol of neglect and government failure,” warning that the facility now poses a severe risk to the lives of over 40,000 residents in 15 surrounding communities who rely on it for medical care.
“In its current state, this hospital is a death trap. It’s a tragedy unfolding in plain sight,” the platform stated. “This is a facility where life should begin in dignity, not where it is gambled with.”
The group has now called on Governor Okpebholo to prioritize the hospital’s rehabilitation and staffing.
“Health is a right, not a privilege,” the group stated. “Restore this hospital. Equip it. Staff it. Give the people back their dignity and their right to life. The time to act is now.”
According to MonITNG’s findings, the hospital currently operates without a single doctor, has only one nurse, no administrative staff, and lacks basic security. The labour ward, once a critical space for safe childbirth, now operates without electricity, medical equipment, essential drugs, or trained healthcare professionals.
“Mothers are asked to bring their own delivery kits—gloves, bleach, syringes—just to be attended to,” the group revealed.
Due to the hospital’s collapse, many residents are now forced to travel long distances to access care, particularly at the Irrua Specialist Hospital in Esan Local Government Area. These emergency journeys, MonITNG noted, have led to multiple fatalities caused by childbirth complications, bleeding, or lack of oxygen while in transit.
“Several families told us heartbreaking stories of loved ones who didn’t make it,” the statement read. “These are preventable deaths, all because their local hospital is little more than an empty shell.”
Despite repeated public commitments to improving healthcare and a reported ₦89.6 billion allocated to Edo State’s health sector between 2020 and 2024, the Sabongidda-Ora General Hospital remains in ruins. MonITNG cited budget documents showing that ₦1 billion was allocated to the State Health Insurance Scheme in 2020, rising sharply to ₦33 billion in 2024.
“Yet, Sabongidda-Ora General Hospital remains broken and abandoned. All that remains are walls and despair,” the platform lamented.
Adding to the concern is the hospital’s location in the hometown of the current Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Hon. Blessing Agbebaku.
“If a community with such political presence can be left to rot, what hope is there for smaller villages with no representation?” MonITNG asked.
