The Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, has expressed frustration over the continued non-operation of the Mother and Child Hospital and the Dr Peter Odili Cancer and Cardiovascular Centre in Port Harcourt, despite both facilities having been fully built and commissioned for over three years.
The Mother and Child Hospital was commissioned in June 2021, while the Peter Odili Cancer and Cardiovascular Centre was commissioned in November 2022. However, neither facility has ever been put to use and both remain sealed, attracting public criticism.
Despite repeated inquiries during the last administration, the Rivers State Government failed to give credible reasons for their closure. Stakeholders in the health sector have also largely avoided addressing the prolonged inactivity of these institutions.
Following their commissioning by former Rivers State Governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, the facilities remain sealed and deserted, with no staff on site.
At a press briefing on Monday to mark the opening of the association’s 2025 Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference, Rivers State NMA Chairman, Dr Diamond Tamunokuro, called on the state government to immediately operationalise both centres.
Dr Tamunokuro stressed that the world-class facilities “continue to be a symbol of waste and a reminder of our collective systemic inefficiency if not put to use.”
He added: “It is regrettably and shameful that young doctors in this state who desire to work cannot find a place to work in the state civil service despite the presence of public health facilities fully constructed and fully equipped.”
He lamented that potential employment opportunities, essential medical services, internally generated revenue, and training spaces for health professionals remain unrealised because of the continued closure of these facilities. He urged the people of Rivers State to “continue to question the closure of these two facilities until they open to use,” adding, “the best time to have acted was yesterday, the next best time is now.”
In 2024, during the Rivers State Economic and Investment Summit, suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara declined to comment on the facilities when questioned about their closure. That same year, suspended Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Oreh, explained that the intended private investors had pulled out, citing inflation, which stalled the utilisation of the facilities.
According to Dr Oreh, the government had planned to run both facilities under a public-private partnership, with a take-off grant provided to the operators.
She said: “From the timeline, they were supposed to have started seeing patients, opening its doors fully in November, 2023. We were hopeful that by November last year, they would have opened the door fully, and people will walk in and access services.”
She revealed that the private operators had only managed a soft opening before shutting operations, blaming funding constraints. The state government, she added, was actively working to terminate the contract and explore alternative management options.
Since then, no tangible progress has been made.
While welcoming the recent employment of doctors and other health workers at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital and the State Hospital Management Board, the NMA stressed that an expanded health workforce was still urgently required, particularly “at the Primary Health Care Management Board to strengthen primary health care which constitute more than 70 per cent of all health care needs in the state.”
Dr Tamunokuro also urged the government to revisit the stalled recruitment process for doctors and other personnel in the Primary Health Care Management Board, stressing that “quality health care is a reflection of good health financing and comprehensive health insurance.”
