I just came across a video showing the shocking state of the Okuku Health Center in Owerri West, with the facility surrounded and overgrown by bush.
The question is: How could a health centre meant to serve the people be allowed to deteriorate to this extent?
What makes this even more painful is that the people of the area are not without political representation. There is a representative at the State House of Assembly, a representative in the National Assembly, and a Local Government Chairman. Yet, a basic health facility that should provide essential healthcare to the people appears to have been left in a state of total neglect.
This is more than an abandoned building. It is evidence of neglect and a troubling lack of regard for the health and wellbeing of the people.
Health is the foundation of development. When people are healthy, they can go to school, go to work, farm, trade in the market, worship, raise their families and contribute meaningfully to the growth of their community.
But when a community does not have access to a functional health centre, what kind of progress can we truly expect?
A sick child may miss school. A sick farmer may be unable to work. A pregnant woman may face unnecessary risks. Families may be forced to travel long distances simply to access basic healthcare.
A healthy people are essential for a prosperous community. You cannot talk meaningfully about development while basic healthcare infrastructure is allowed to rot away and become overgrown with bush.
The people of Okuku and other communities in Owerri West deserve better. Public infrastructure must serve the people. Healthcare must not be treated as a privilege—it is a fundamental necessity.
This is the kind of neglect we must confront if we truly want progress for our communities.
–Dr. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu (Ada Owere 1), Labour Party Candidate for House of Representatives, Owerri Federal Constituency
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