Okoroba Hospital in Bayelsa State Faces Abandonment Crisis

The Cottage Hospital in Okoroba, located in the Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, has fallen into disrepair after nearly 27 years of operation. Built by Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited between 1993 and 1997 and inaugurated on May 8, 1997, the hospital served as a crucial healthcare facility for surrounding communities.

It operated under a tripartite arrangement involving the Bayelsa State Government, Okoroba community, and SPDC. However, after SPDC reduced its onshore operations, management was transferred to the Bayelsa State Hospitals Management Board, leading to a decline in staff and equipment.

The hospital is now overgrown with weeds and abandoned, forcing residents to travel long distances for medical care, resulting in lost lives. Community leaders, including High Chief Douglas Etulankimor Sampson-Eteli, are urging the Bayelsa State Government and relevant agencies to rehabilitate the facility and restore medical services.