- Och’Otukpa Pleads With Benue Govt For Rehabilitation
By Amos Aar
A FREE medical outreach in Otukpa, headquarters of Ogbadibo LGA of Benue State, has exposed the dilapidated and largely inactive state of the General Hospital, Ojadoga.
The dire condition of the colonial-era facility has sparked urgent calls for its rehabilitation from community leaders. The calls were made by Amb. Patrick Onogwu, a Special Emissary of the International Society of Diplomats (ISD), and the Och’Otukpa, His Royal Highness, Sir Sunday Ekele.
Their appeal followed a two-day medical outreach organised by Amb. Onogwu in collaboration with the ISD and the MEG Cancer Foundation at the hospital from December 28 to 29, 2025.
During the exercise, hundreds of residents received free medical screening and treatment, including blood pressure checks, malaria tests, hepatitis screening, blood sugar checks, consultations, and surgeries.
Speaking at the event, Onogwu lamented that the hospital’s poor state, caused by industrial actions and inadequate staffing, has denied residents access to basic healthcare, leading to preventable illnesses and deaths.
He explained that Otukpa was deliberately chosen for the outreach because of a huge deficit in healthcare delivery, adding that many residents suffer from preventable and treatable illnesses due to poor access to medical services.
He said the state of the hospital had denied many residents access to basic healthcare, noting that several illnesses and deaths recorded in the area could have been prevented with timely and affordable medical intervention.
While noting that the initiative was organised during the festive season, Patrick said the idea was to “bring Christmas back to the community in a different form” by providing free medical care to people who could not easily afford or access healthcare. He added that the programme was also in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals on health, particularly the 2030 and 2063 targets, which emphasise preventive healthcare and access to basic medical services.
According to him, initial plan was to attend to 200 people,100 each day, but the turnout exceeded expectations. He disclosed that about 340 patients were attended to on the first day alone by four consulting doctors, while more than 300 people turned up on the second day.
He said five cases requiring surgical procedures were identified on the first day, adding that three surgeries, including two major ones, had already been carried out, while another was ongoing at the time of his briefing.
While some cases were managed locally with the support of doctors from private hospitals within the community, Patrick said patients requiring specialised care were referred to the Federal Medical Centre and a teaching hospital in Makurdi.
He appealed to the Benue State Government, under Governor Hyacinth Alia, and the Ogbadibo Local Government Council to prioritise grassroots healthcare, describing the condition of health facilities in the local government headquarters as “pathetic” and a reflection of years of neglect. He also urged authorities to invest more in healthcare infrastructure and personnel to improve service delivery and save lives.
In a goodwill message, the Chairman of Ogbadibo LGA, Comrade (Hon.) Sunday Ameh Ajuma, represented by the Supervisory Councillor for Health and Human Resources, Hon. Eloyi Ogbe, described the outreach as remarkable, saying it aligned with the vision of the Alia administration to transform the health sector in Benue State. He commended Dr Patrick for organising the exercise without political motives and encouraged other well-meaning individuals to support similar initiatives.
Also speaking, the Och’Otukpa, His Royal Highness Sir Sunday Oche Ekele, called on the Benue State Government to urgently rehabilitate and properly equip the General Hospital, Ijadoga, to meet the health needs of the people. He urged his subjects across Owukpa, Otukpa and Orokam districts who have the means to contribute to community development, while appreciating the state government for approving the use of the facility for the outreach.
The coordinator of the programme, Dr Magdalene Dakogol, stressed that the initiative was purely an act of goodwill, noting that Patrick personally funded the programme while partner organisations provided moral support.
A public health specialist, Peace Patrick, who volunteered as a counsellor, emphasised disease prevention, saying residents were educated on environmental hygiene to prevent malaria, the use of mosquito nets, and safe practices to prevent HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.
She cautioned that while some diseases can be treated, others cannot, making prevention the safest option.
Some beneficiaries expressed appreciation for the intervention. Mary Ohentonye from Ipole Otukpa, who received treatment for a swollen hand, said she was already feeling relief and prayed for God’s blessings on the medical team.
Similarly, elder Ignatius Ugwu from Nsukka in Enugu State, who was diagnosed with arthritis and was awaiting prescribed medication, prayed for Onogwu to be uplifted “in a better and higher way.”
