Health
MonITNG highlights dire state of key health centre in Eno's Akwa Ibom, calls for urgent intervention
Written By: Editor
01 Jan 2026 04:10 AM
Uyo, Akwa-Ibom – MonITNG, a civic monitoring organisation has spotlighted the "shocking" deterioration of the Mathew Udo Ekpo Memorial Health Centre in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, describing it as a public hazard that endangers lives and denies thousands access to basic healthcare.
In a post on X Thursday, MonITNG detailed severe structural issues: leaking and partially collapsing roofs, broken windows, cracked walls, and a complete lack of electricity.
The group alleged that rainwater floods wards during downpours, exposing patients and staff to debris, while the centre remains largely non-functional with locked doors.
"The risk of injury or death from structural failure is real and constant," the post stated, noting that residents including pregnant women, children, accident victims, and the elderly are forced to travel long distances over poor roads for care, often with fatal delays in emergencies.
MonITNG tagged Governor Umo Eno and Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Muhammad Ali Pate, urging immediate action.
The group argued that the centre symbolises broader governance failures in healthcare delivery, despite substantial annual allocations to Akwa Ibom's health sector and federal initiatives like the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF).
The allegations resonate with ongoing concerns in Akwa Ibom. Investigative reports from 2025 revealed multiple Primary Health Centres (PHCs) operating without night staff, essential drugs, or proper equipment, contributing to low facility-based deliveries and high maternal risks.
Similar issues, including reptile invasions forcing staff abandonment and reliance on pit toilets, have been documented in Etim Ekpo and neighbouring LGAs.
Nationally, the federal government disbursed ₦32.9 billion in late 2025 via the BHCPF to bolster PHCs, part of reforms aiming for over 8,000 functional centres.
Minister Pate has emphasised performance-linked funding and revitalisation, reporting increased patient visits. However, critics, including MonITNG, contend that shared across states, the funds inadequately address decades of neglect, with many facilities still lacking basics like power, water, and supplies.
In Akwa Ibom, Governor Umo Eno's administration has prioritised health, declaring an emergency in 2025, approving salary reviews for workers, and inaugurating model PHCs and oxygen plants.
State officials outlined plans to upgrade hundreds of facilities and recruit thousands of personnel. Yet, MonITNG and recent reports highlight persistent gaps in rural areas, where funds reportedly fail to translate to on-ground improvements.
The post has amplified calls under the hashtag #FixOurPHCs, with advocates demanding transparency, audits, and prioritisation of existing facilities over new builds.
Neither the Akwa Ibom State Government nor the Federal Ministry of Health has responded publicly to the specific allegations as of publication.
As Nigeria grapples with healthcare inequities, observers stress that bridging the divide between budgets and outcomes remains critical to saving lives in underserved communities.
In a post on X Thursday, MonITNG detailed severe structural issues: leaking and partially collapsing roofs, broken windows, cracked walls, and a complete lack of electricity.
The group alleged that rainwater floods wards during downpours, exposing patients and staff to debris, while the centre remains largely non-functional with locked doors.
"The risk of injury or death from structural failure is real and constant," the post stated, noting that residents including pregnant women, children, accident victims, and the elderly are forced to travel long distances over poor roads for care, often with fatal delays in emergencies.
MonITNG tagged Governor Umo Eno and Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Muhammad Ali Pate, urging immediate action.
The group argued that the centre symbolises broader governance failures in healthcare delivery, despite substantial annual allocations to Akwa Ibom's health sector and federal initiatives like the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF).
The allegations resonate with ongoing concerns in Akwa Ibom. Investigative reports from 2025 revealed multiple Primary Health Centres (PHCs) operating without night staff, essential drugs, or proper equipment, contributing to low facility-based deliveries and high maternal risks.
Similar issues, including reptile invasions forcing staff abandonment and reliance on pit toilets, have been documented in Etim Ekpo and neighbouring LGAs.
Nationally, the federal government disbursed ₦32.9 billion in late 2025 via the BHCPF to bolster PHCs, part of reforms aiming for over 8,000 functional centres.
Minister Pate has emphasised performance-linked funding and revitalisation, reporting increased patient visits. However, critics, including MonITNG, contend that shared across states, the funds inadequately address decades of neglect, with many facilities still lacking basics like power, water, and supplies.
In Akwa Ibom, Governor Umo Eno's administration has prioritised health, declaring an emergency in 2025, approving salary reviews for workers, and inaugurating model PHCs and oxygen plants.
State officials outlined plans to upgrade hundreds of facilities and recruit thousands of personnel. Yet, MonITNG and recent reports highlight persistent gaps in rural areas, where funds reportedly fail to translate to on-ground improvements.
The post has amplified calls under the hashtag #FixOurPHCs, with advocates demanding transparency, audits, and prioritisation of existing facilities over new builds.
Neither the Akwa Ibom State Government nor the Federal Ministry of Health has responded publicly to the specific allegations as of publication.
As Nigeria grapples with healthcare inequities, observers stress that bridging the divide between budgets and outcomes remains critical to saving lives in underserved communities.
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