“Deplorable Conditions at Nyaguru Health Centre Put Lives at Risk – Tracka|LAGOS EYE NEWS

The civic accountability organisation, Tracka, has raised concerns over the deplorable condition of the Nyaguru Primary Health Centre (PHC) serving the Nyaguru Ija Gbagyi community in Tafa Local Government Area of Niger State.

In a statement released on Monday, Tracka described the facility as severely neglected and incapable of delivering basic healthcare services, despite being the only health centre available to more than 1,500 residents.

According to the group, the PHC lacks essential infrastructure, medical equipment and adequate staffing. It noted that a single nurse has been managing the healthcare needs of the entire community for nearly a decade.

Tracka further disclosed that the building is structurally unsafe, with collapsed ceilings, leaking roofs and poor sanitation conditions. The group alleged that childbirth is often conducted at night using candles and lanterns due to the absence of electricity, thereby exposing mothers and newborns to significant health risks.

Access to the facility was also described as hazardous, as the road leading to the PHC is reportedly barely motorable. Pregnant women and emergency patients are said to travel long distances on motorcycles, increasing the risk of delays, complications and avoidable fatalities.

The organisation warned that in its current state, the Nyaguru PHC poses a threat to lives rather than safeguarding them.

Tracka therefore called on the office of Governor Umaru Mohammed Bago, the Federal Ministry of Health Nigeria, and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency to urgently facilitate the rehabilitation and proper staffing of the facility to ensure safe and accessible healthcare for residents of the community.