“No Hospital, No Vote”: Boki Communities Protest Collapse of Panyia Bawop Health Centre
By Admin
Residents of Mbayaghe and Okaraba communities in Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State have issued a strong warning to politicians, threatening to boycott future elections over the collapse of the Primary Health Centre in Panyia Bawop.
The protest, which drew scores of concerned residents, underscored years of neglect of the facility meant to serve as the first point of care for rural dwellers.
Carrying placards and chanting solidarity songs, the protesters decried the deplorable state of the health centre, linking it to a growing number of preventable deaths in the area.
“Our people are dying because there is no functional health facility,” a protester said. “If nothing is done, there will be no elections here.”
An on-the-ground assessment revealed a facility in severe disrepair, with leaking roofs, absence of hospital beds, and dilapidated structures. Residents said the situation worsens during rainfall, as water seeps through the building, making it unsafe for both patients and healthcare workers.
Community members also expressed frustration that political representatives, including House of Representatives member, Victor Abang, who hails from the community have not intervened. They further criticised State Assembly member Hilary Bisong and Senator Williams Eteng, representing Cross River Central, for allegedly failing to draw the government’s attention to the situation.
Residents alleged that medical personnel posted to the centre are unable to reside there due to its poor condition, leaving the community without reliable access to healthcare.
The consequences, they say, have been dire. Pregnant women are forced to undertake long and risky journeys to neighbouring communities for antenatal care, with delays reportedly resulting in deaths during childbirth.
Speaking during the protest, a community leader, Chief Patrick Abang Odu, recounted a near-fatal incident on Easter Sunday involving two accident victims.
“They were brought to the clinic in critical condition, but there was no one to attend to them,” he said. “It was raining heavily, and the facility could not function. We almost lost them.”
The communities called on the Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency, relevant authorities, and well-meaning Nigerians to urgently intervene and restore the facility.
Efforts to reach officials of the agency for comment were unsuccessful as of press time. However, a state health official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, acknowledged the challenges facing rural health facilities and assured that the government is working to address infrastructure gaps.
For the protesting communities, however, the urgency is immediate.
“This is not politics; this is about our lives,” another resident said. “We need a hospital that works.”
See video below
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1J45hy7efa/
