Uzebba, Edo – A haunting scene of neglect has emerged at the Government Hospital Uzebba in Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State, where a once-vital healthcare facility now lies in ruins, abandoned by successive governments.

A recent post by @monitng on X has thrust the dilapidated state of the hospital into the spotlight, igniting calls for urgent action from Governor Monday Okpebholo and other authorities.

MonITNG’s post, shared on Friday, described the hospital as a “haunting symbol of government failure,” highlighting the devastating human cost of its neglect.

Expectant mothers, elderly citizens, and children suffering from preventable diseases like malaria are forced to travel miles on poor roads for care, with many losing loved ones due to the lack of accessible healthcare.

The facility lacks electricity, running water, and a perimeter fence, leaving it vulnerable to vandalism, while a single struggling ambulance serves the entire region.

The post pointedly criticized the inaction despite billions of naira budgeted for healthcare by the previous administration under former Governor Godwin Obaseki, and noted the hospital’s location in the hometown of Rt. Hon. Julius Ihonvbere, the current Majority Leader of the House of Representatives.

Instead of meaningful renovation, a “nominated project” delivered only an additional ambulance, a gesture deemed insufficient by the community.

The group warned that the hospital’s collapse reflects a broader disregard for the fundamental right to healthcare, demanding immediate steps to restore the facility.

The abandoned hospital serves as a poignant reminder of the challenges facing rural healthcare in Nigeria, where over 70% of services are provided by private entities, leaving public facilities like Uzebba vulnerable to neglect.

As public outrage mounts, the Edo State government has yet to issue an official response.