Ebonyi Govt Shuts Down, Takes Over Mission Hospital After 100 Years of lease

By Blessing Ajah

 

The Ebonyi State Government acting on a petition by the Uburu Community in the state, has shutdown the 100 years old Presbyterian Joint Hospital Uburu, in Ohaozara LGA.

The government said the management of the hospital would be subsequently taken over from the church after its shutdown.

The Uburu community in its  to the government urging it to take over the management of the hospital, accused the hospital of offering treatment to indigent patients at high charges and also using obsolete equipment in the treatment of patients.

They also alleged the absence of qualified doctors, poor clinical services, mismanagement of funds generated internally and grants from government.

The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Daniel Umezurike,  announcing the closure of the hospital, noted that the state government revoked the right of occupancy issued to the hospital in 1912, said it took the decision because the operation of the hospital overode public interest

“Uburu people donated the land to the Church of Scotland Mission in 1912, not to Presbyterian Church of Nigeria. When the Church of Scotland was leaving, the Presbyterian church of Nigeria came in probably because most of the workers are members of the church especially the then Governor of the Old Eastern Region, Late Dr. Ezeogo Akanu Ibiam but ownership was never transfered to them,” Dr. Umezuruike noted.

He said the hospital was offering service until in the 1990s when the church of Scotland stopped sending expatriates from Netherland and the clinical services and management became completely indigenous.

“The host community-Uburu- complained about the ugly trend in the hospital. There was no corporate social responsibility; there was failure of the Presbyterian Joint Health Institute, which was established by the hospital and could not secure accreditation for years before it was closed down and students moved to EBSU where they graduated”, the Commissioner added.

He noted that as a function of law, the lease of ownership expired in 2011 having lasted 100 years adding that the community waited patiently until the lease of ownership expired before commencing agitation.

Dr. Umezuruike said both the Presbyterian Church or any other body linked with the ownership failed to apply for the renewal of the lease of ownership, thus compelling the state government in accordance with the Land Use Act 2004 (Cap L.5 Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria) revoked the right of occupancy for overriding public interest, in oder to forestall total breakdown of law and peace.

He disclosed  that hospital would henceforth be designated as Ebonyi State University Community General Hospital and will serve as the community medical rural practice area for The state University Teaching Hospital, Uburu.

He said while the hospital would remain shutdown for two weeks, the government would among other things take inventory of the hospital, do staff auditing and verification and carry out minor renovations on the hospital to give it facelift.

He asked the management of the former Presbyterian Joint Hospital, Uburu to immediately step aside until all the task by government are completed.

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