The Kuchingoro Primary Health Care Centre (PHC) commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari in January 2017 as part of his Administration's efforts to revitalize 10, 000 PHCs across the Country has collapsed. The PHC is located on the Airport Road, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), close to military cemetery, Abuja. The President had on January 10th, commissioned the edifice to provide healthcare services for residents of the area, particularly to reduce cases of child mortality rate.
The commissioning ceremony was attended by Aliko Dangote, Ministers of Health and FCT and the Acting Director National Primary Health Care Development Agency NPHCDA, Mr Emmanuel Odu among others.
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A visit to the facility by Vigil360 revealed that the PHC has practically collapsed, as all the wards and offices have been flooded due to leaking roofs. Also, the water system put in place to service the facility has also collapsed. Currently, patients on admission have been asked to visit the hospital from home, since the place is no longer conducive for them to remain on admission.
Similarly, patients receiving medical care from the facility current buy water from "mai ruwa" (water vendors) in the area following the collapse of the water system in the hospital.
Meanwhile, residents in the area have raised concern over the high cost of vaccine for immunization of babies. Vigil360 uncovered that some mothers pay as much as N20, 000 for immunization at the hospital. One of the women claimed that those who cannot afford the fee are usually told to return home with their babies.
According to her, "Government has to do something about this immunization issue. The last administration made it free. Now we are made to pay as high as N20, 000. Please tell Government to assist us. This fee is exposing our children to avoidable diseases".
