The Ikot Edong Health Centre in the Abak Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State has degenerated into a state of total collapse, serving as a stark reminder of rural healthcare neglect. For over a decade, the facility, which stands as the only public healthcare provider for the entire Ikot Edong community, has operated without basic human amenities, leaving residents vulnerable and cut off from essential medical services.
Public accountability organization, Tracka, exposed the horrific conditions of the facility in a public appeal directed at the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, as well as federal health agencies. The advocacy group revealed that the facility currently operates with no functional toilets, no electricity, and no clean water source, rendering it entirely unfit for any form of medical delivery.
A Collapsing Structure and Wasted Resources
The physical infrastructure of the clinic has deteriorated to a dangerous level, threatening both staff and patients. Cracked walls line the building, creating an immediate structural hazard, while a leaking roof leaves the interior exposed to the elements whenever it rains.
Compounding the crisis is the heartbreaking waste of critical medical resources. According to reports, the facility recently received modern medical equipment through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF). However, because the building is so heavily dilapidated, this vital, life-saving gear remains locked away and completely unused because there is no safe or secure environment to deploy it.
Accountability Watchdogs Demand Urgent Intervention
The situation has triggered widespread outrage, prompting Tracka to call for immediate intervention from both state and federal authorities to avert a looming healthcare disaster in the community.
“Ikot Edong Health Centre, Abak LGA, Akwa Ibom state has been in a dire state for over 10 years. This facility is the only public health facility serving the entire Ikot Edong and there are no functional toilets, no electricity, and no water source. The building is dilapidated, with cracked walls that threaten to collapse and a roof that leaks during rainfall. We implore your office, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and the Federal Ministry of Health to facilitate the reconstruction of this facility,” Tracka stated in an official dispatch.
As of the time of this report, the Akwa Ibom State Government has yet to issue an official response regarding the decade-long neglect of the Abak community facility or outline a timeline for its potential rehabilitation.
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