A resident of Obiaruku, Delta State, Mr. Chidi O. Uwabuofu, has raised alarm over what he described as a severe shortage of medical personnel at the Obiaruku General Hospital, warning that the situation poses a serious threat to public health in Ukwuani communities.
According to Uwabuofu, who visited the hospital on Tuesday for a medical check-up, only one doctor was available to attend to hundreds of patients drawn from Obiaruku and neighboring communities.
“I arrived at the hospital around 9am and didn’t leave until late at night because of the overwhelming crowd and the severe shortage of staff,” he said.
Uwabuofu recounted a particularly distressing incident involving a breastfeeding mother with a sick baby, who reportedly left the hospital at about 3pm after the lone doctor stopped consultations due to exhaustion.
“The doctor was understandably overwhelmed from handling such a massive workload alone,” Uwabuofu noted. “But it was heartbreaking to see a mother leave with her sick baby because she couldn’t be attended to. She had no choice but to return the next day because she couldn’t afford a private hospital.”
He expressed concern that delays in treatment caused by staff shortages could worsen patients’ conditions, especially among vulnerable groups such as infants and pregnant women.
Uwabuofu further stated that while the Obiaruku General Hospital is already poorly equipped, the situation is made worse by the lack of adequate medical personnel, preventing the facility from functioning optimally.
“If this is the situation in Obiaruku, I fear for the state of healthcare in other Ukwuani communities,” he said.
Calling for urgent government intervention, Uwabuofu appealed to Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, as well as Ukwuani Local Government Chairman, Mr. Ajede, members of the Delta State House of Assembly, including Hon. Dafe, and other state government appointees to take immediate action.
“Our people’s health is too precious to be neglected,” he said. “Something must be done now.”
