The Traditional Ruler of Awba Ofemili in Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Igwe Ernest Maduagwuna, has appealed to Governor Chukwuma Soludo to urgently equip the community’s mini-hospital and provide qualified medical personnel to prevent avoidable deaths.
The monarch made the appeal while receiving members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Anambra State Council, led by its Chairman, Dr. Odogwu Emeka Odogwu.
Igwe Maduagwuna lamented that the only mini-hospital serving the community lacked both medical personnel and essential equipment, leaving residents with limited access to healthcare services.
He called on the state government to deploy certified nurses and arrange regular visits by a medical doctor to attend to patients in the community.
“We have appealed to the government several times. At least, let them post certified nurses and even a visiting doctor to our mini-hospital.
“If the doctor will be coming twice or three times a week to attend to my people, it will be okay because this is one of the most remote areas in the state,” he said.
The traditional ruler expressed concern over what he described as frequent deaths in the community, noting that inadequate access to healthcare had made it difficult for residents to receive timely medical attention.
He also raised concerns about misconceptions surrounding certain illnesses, particularly diabetes, which he said some residents wrongly attributed to spiritual manipulation.
“People here do not know what health is; we record deaths on a weekly basis. The common sickness here is diabetes, which many people believe to be spiritually manipulated, but it is not true,” he said.
Emphasising the need for a functional healthcare facility, Igwe Maduagwuna maintained that establishing a hospital without providing the personnel and equipment required to operate it would not adequately address the community’s healthcare needs.
“It is our right to have a functional health facility; you cannot build a hospital and leave it empty.
“My people are dying. We record deaths on a weekly basis. Last month, our three pregnant women and their children died during labour,” the monarch lamented.
Despite his concerns, the traditional ruler commended Governor Soludo for the state’s free antenatal care and delivery policy, expressing hope that extending adequate support to the Awba Ofemili mini-hospital would significantly reduce preventable deaths.
He appealed to the governor to urgently intervene by providing the facility with the necessary equipment and qualified personnel to improve access to healthcare and safeguard the lives of residents, particularly pregnant women and children.
