The Polobubo (Tsekelewu) community in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State has voiced deep frustration over the deteriorated condition of its cottage hospital. According to the community’s President-General, Mr. Paul Toruwei, the hospital has become a death trap due to the absence of doctors, nurses, and vital medical staff. Toruwei revealed that hundreds, including pregnant women and children, have died from treatable illnesses because of the hospital’s inability to provide even the most basic healthcare services. The community mourns these losses and attributes them to deliberate government neglect.
Calling on the Delta State Government for urgent intervention, Toruwei stressed the need for professional healthcare workers, proper medical equipment, and consistent funding to restore the hospital’s operations. He emphasized that the facility, once equipped and commissioned, has been rendered non-functional due to lack of staffing and critical infrastructure. The residents now face delayed diagnoses, preventable complications, and an increasing death toll as the hospital remains idle and abandoned.
Originally constructed and handed over in 2018 through a N596 million partnership involving Chevron Nigeria Limited and the Egbema-Gbaramatu Community Development Foundation under the GMoU framework, the hospital was intended to serve as a vital health institution. Yet, community leaders now describe it as a “monument of suffering and carelessness.” Despite being at the heart of several oil and gas operations that contribute significantly to Nigeria’s economy, Polobubo residents are left to suffer without accessible medical care.
The community issued a passionate reminder to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, urging him to acknowledge their importance to the state’s economic stability and fulfill the government’s responsibility to its people. They argued that after years of supporting oil production and enabling corporate activities, it is unjust for them to be denied access to healthcare. Their message is clear: revive the Polobubo Cottage Hospital so it can fulfill its purpose and save lives.
