More than 3,000 residents of Akpaka community in Ngbo, Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, are facing severe health risks following the abandonment of the community’s only Primary Health Care (PHC) centre, a new report has revealed.

The report, published by civic technology organisation MonITNG, described the situation as a “clear failure of governance,” noting that the facility has been neglected for over four years despite being the sole public health institution serving the community.

According to the findings, the health centre is in a state of total disrepair, with damaged rooms, broken beds and unusable mattresses. The facility reportedly lacks functional medical equipment, electricity, doctors, or qualified health personnel, rendering it unfit for healthcare delivery.

The report further revealed that pregnant women are forced to give birth under lantern light, using unsterilised tools due to the absence of electricity and basic medical supplies—conditions that pose serious risks to both mothers and newborns.

Structural decay has also overtaken the facility, with collapsed roofing, falling ceilings and crumbling walls, making the building unsafe for patients and staff alike.

As a result, residents requiring basic medical attention are compelled to travel long distances to neighbouring communities or rely on expensive private clinics they can scarcely afford.

MonITNG disclosed that the crisis has persisted despite formal petitions submitted in December 2024 to the area’s Senator and House of Representatives member, along with repeated follow-ups throughout 2025. The organisation’s Tracka team said it has monitored and documented the centre’s condition for three years without any meaningful response from authorities.

The organisation called for urgent intervention from Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru, the Coordinating Minister of Health, Prof. Muhammad Pate, lawmakers Odono Ikechukwu, Senator Onyekachi Nwenbonyi, and Eze Nwanchukwu Eze, as well as the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), the Ebonyi State Government, and the Federal Ministry of Housing.

“The lives and health of over 3,000 residents depend on immediate action,” the report stressed, urging authorities to rehabilitate, equip, and staff the facility without further delay.