Rural residents in Akwa Ibom State are finding it difficult to access healthcare because of the dilapidated nature of Primary Healthcare Centres (PHC) across communities, especially in the rural settlements.
Residents of Ikot Akata do not have access to a medical care facility as the only healthcare in their community is in deplorable condition.
The Government Primary Health Centre located at Ikot Akata Ibom Clan in Mkpat Enin Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State is in a terrible condition and needs urgent intervention.
Worse still, the state had every year, budgeted a huge amount of money as its annual budget, with the claim that they are for the welfare of her citizens.
The promise and justification for the annual budgets are yet to manifest in the primary healthcare across communities in the state.
While many primary healthcare in the state are in deplorable condition, some communities are without any healthcare and residents trek over 10 kilometres to access healthcare.
Mr. Jude who preferred only his first name for fear of vindication from the state government speaking to MAWA FOUNDATION on a telephone, says the primary healthcare has been in a deplorable condition for over 10 years.
“There are many cases of maternal and infant mortality in the community as a result of inadequate primary healthcare”, Jude said.
“Community residents who have the financial capacity seek medical care in private hospitals while those without money either go to the dilapidated hospital or opt for herbal medicine,” Jude said.
Mrs. Theresa Akpi, a resident of the community told MAWA FOUNDATION that there are no equipment and drugs in the hospital.
Akpi lamented how they are suffering as a result of a collapsed health system in the community.
She appealed to the state government to help fix the hospital and save community residents from dying of preventable sicknesses.
Tracka, who exposed the terrible nature of healthcare, has appealed to the state government to help renovate it.