Residents of Umuola Community in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State have celebrated the reopening and commissioning of their community health centre after about 30 years of abandonment.
The facility was renovated and commissioned on Saturday, September 26, 2026, by the Paramount Ruler of Umuola, Eze Dr Chike Promise.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Eze Promise said he was motivated to rehabilitate the facility after witnessing the difficulties residents faced in accessing basic healthcare services.
He described the intervention as an act of empathy, saying he chose to take action rather than continue complaining about the challenges confronting the community.
“I am first a human being before any other position. I grew in this community, so I know the pains, challenges and problems of the grassroots,” he said.
Eze Promise said the rehabilitation marked the beginning of further interventions, adding that more facilities and medical equipment would be provided in subsequent phases.
He said medical authorities had also promised to deploy personnel to the facility, while appealing to residents to protect it from vandalism.
The traditional ruler further called on the government to support the health centre, expressing confidence that increased government intervention would eventually benefit the community.
The Medical Officer of Health and Director of Primary Health Care in Etche LGA, Dr Sunday-Piaro Tormene, said the facility had been listed under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF).
Tormene said the health centre would begin receiving funding after accreditation and that efforts would be made to enrol qualified residents in free healthcare programmes.
He disclosed that the local government had about 107 healthcare workers, describing the number as inadequate for the facilities requiring manpower across the area.
He, however, said a staff member had already been posted to the Umuola health centre and assured residents that additional personnel would be deployed when more manpower became available.
Tormene urged other communities in Etche to emulate Umuola by reviving abandoned health facilities and partnering with government to improve access to healthcare.
Representing the Chairman of Etche LGA, Chima Njorku, the APC Chairman in the council area, Precious Amadi, commended the Umuola community for the initiative.
Amadi urged communities to shun violence, killings and prolonged disputes and instead channel their efforts towards development.
He said the council chairman had received the community’s requests and would consider providing additional manpower and other forms of support to the facility.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Umuola Community Development Committee, George Chidiadi, said the prolonged absence of a functional health facility had subjected residents to preventable deaths, delayed treatment and other hardships.
He said pregnant women, children and elderly residents were particularly affected, as they often had to travel to neighbouring communities to access basic medical care.
Chidiadi said the renovated facility now has outpatient consultation rooms, maternity and delivery units, immunisation and child-welfare services, inpatient wards and electricity.
According to him, the centre is expected to provide primary healthcare services, including maternal and child healthcare, immunisation, family planning, treatment of common illnesses, health education and emergency first aid.
He assured Eze Promise and other stakeholders that the community would establish a facility management committee to ensure proper maintenance of the health centre.
Chidiadi also appealed for government intervention in other areas, including the remodelling of Government Secondary School Umuola, construction of a model primary healthcare facility, installation of solar streetlights, provision of telecommunications network coverage and improvement of road infrastructure.
Some residents who benefited from free medical services during the commissioning expressed appreciation to Eze Promise for the intervention.
One of the beneficiaries, John Joshua, said residents had previously experienced serious difficulties accessing healthcare, with some travelling to neighbouring communities and spending substantial amounts on transportation and treatment.
He expressed optimism that the revived health centre would reduce the hardship and improve access to healthcare for residents of Umuola and neighbouring communities.
