By Samuel Ibezim
The fear of baby snatchers at Ogwa General Hospital, Mbaitolu LGA of Imo State by hoodlums as a result of poor security, has forced expectant mothers to quack homes and private hospitals for child birth despite receiving antenatal at the government owned hospital.
Trumpeta gathered this information when it followed ad hoc committee of lawmakers that embarked on a fact finding mission to some selected General Hospitals in the three zones of Okigwe, Orlu and Owerri, to ascertain its present condition and ways to enhance it for the public’s benefit.
Rt. Hon. Okey Onyekanma, Deputy Speaker and member representing Mbaitolu State Constituency at Imo State House of Assembly, went alongside Hon. Arthur Egwim of Ideato North State, Hon. Chigozie Nwaneri of Oru East and Hon. Michael Njoku of Ihitte Uboma.
According to Mrs. Okoroafor, a Chief Nurse at Ogwa Hospital, hoodlums invaded the premises and attacked some nurses on night duty about two years ago. That after the attack, expectant mothers in fear of losing their new born babies do avoid the place during child birth as the hospital has no fence. The Hospital which is over 50 years, was bushy and has no fence. It has 79 beds, 7 nurses, 3 doctors which only one was met on ground and 20 staff. Also, it has a gardener and a caretaker but lacks modern health equipments.
At a visit to Ihitte Uboma LGA, two hospital buildings were met on same ground. The one built by Rochas Okorocha, immediate past governor, is uncompleted and abandoned. The other building which was commissioned on January 23rd, 1990, by Commander Amadi Ikwechegh, then Imo State military governor, is an eyesore despite the usage by the staff. The restroom is dirty and abandoned while the laboratory room is old, dusty with countable obsolete equipments.
The staff that preferred anonymity said that the epileptic light has not been supplied for some months which force them to borrow generator. The hospital roofs are leaking while the walls and pillars are aging. A visit at the antenatal ward, casualty room and male and female wards were empty and abandoned. There wasn’t light at the theater room.
At a visit to Mbieri hospital, the roofs were bad and the premises grown with grass. Though decent in comparison to other visited hospitals, Dr. Callistus Egwim, Chief Medical Doctor, said that poor electricity and insecurity are the major challenges. Dr. Egwim said that he is the only doctor at the hospital built by the community in 1984 and do attend to over 50 patients per day. He said that it has no emergency room and is strategically located.
