Concern is mounting in Obiaruku, Delta State, following complaints of an acute shortage of medical personnel at the Obiaruku General Hospital, where residents say a single doctor is left to attend to hundreds of patients daily.
The alarm was raised by an Obiaruku resident, Mr. Chidi O. Uwabuofu, who described his experience at the hospital on Tuesday as troubling and dangerous for public health. According to him, patients from Obiaruku and surrounding communities crowded the facility, with only one doctor available to provide medical attention.
Uwabuofu said he arrived at the hospital at about 9 a.m. for a routine medical check-up but did not leave until late in the evening due to the long waiting time caused by the shortage of medical staff.
He also recounted a distressing incident involving a breastfeeding mother who reportedly left the hospital around 3 p.m. with her sick infant after the lone doctor was forced to stop consultations due to exhaustion.
“The doctor was clearly overwhelmed by the workload,” Uwabuofu said. “It was painful to watch a mother walk away with her sick baby because there was no other doctor to attend to her. She had no option but to return the next day since she could not afford private healthcare.”
He warned that prolonged delays in treatment could worsen patients’ conditions, particularly among vulnerable groups such as infants, pregnant women, and the elderly.
Uwabuofu further noted that the hospital, which is already facing challenges with inadequate equipment, is unable to function effectively due to the lack of sufficient medical personnel.
Expressing broader concern, he said the situation at Obiaruku General Hospital may reflect deeper systemic issues affecting healthcare delivery across Ukwuani communities.
He therefore appealed to the Delta State Government to urgently intervene by deploying more doctors and healthcare workers to the facility. He specifically called on Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, the Chairman of Ukwuani Local Government Area, Mr. Ajede, members of the Delta State House of Assembly including Hon. Dafe, and other relevant government officials to take immediate action.
“Our people’s health should not be taken for granted,” Uwabuofu said. “Access to proper healthcare is a basic right, and the government must act now to prevent avoidable suffering and loss of lives.”
