A dire humanitarian crisis is unfolding in the heart of Kokona Local Government Area, Nasarawa State, where the Mandara Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) the sole medical facility serving over 6,300 residents has fallen into a state of shocking decay.
The facility, which should be a sanctuary for the sick, has instead become a physical hazard to patients and staff alike. A recent verification visit by Tracka, a public accountability organization, revealed a building on the verge of collapse, with infrastructure so compromised it appears abandoned.
A Facility in Shambles
The structural integrity of the PHC has reached an alarming low. Investigations confirmed that the roof is badly damaged and wide open in several sections. This exposure leaves medical supplies, expensive equipment, and vulnerable patients at the mercy of rain, dust, and extreme heat.
The interior offers no respite, as ceiling panels have fallen off entirely, leaving the skeletal structure of the building exposed. Observers noted that the walls are visibly weak, creating an environment that is fundamentally unsafe for medical practice.
Healthcare Under Threat
Despite the hazardous conditions, the Mandara PHC remains the only option for the community’s most vulnerable. Pregnant women continue to attend the facility for antenatal care, and infants are brought there for routine immunizations, often while staring up at a collapsing ceiling.
“Imagine receiving healthcare while staring at a collapsing roof above your head,” a representative from the Tracka team remarked during the assessment. “This healthcare centre, which should be a place of healing and safety, has been left to deteriorate beyond acceptable standards. Health workers are trying to save lives in a facility where the building itself is a threat to life.”
A Call for Urgent Intervention
Beyond the structural decay, the facility suffers from a severe lack of essential medical equipment, making quality healthcare delivery nearly impossible. The neglect has sparked a wave of advocacy calling for immediate government action.
The community and accountability advocates are now calling on the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), the Federal Ministry of Health, and the Nasarawa State Government to intervene. The demands are clear: an immediate renovation, reconstruction, and proper furnishing of the PHC to restore dignity to the 6,300 residents it serves.
“Access to healthcare is a basic right, not a privilege,” the report concluded, emphasizing that public investments must prioritize these frontline facilities before the Mandara PHC becomes a site of tragedy rather than treatment.
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