Residents of Taraba State are raising concerns over the deteriorating state of public healthcare, citing an acute shortage of doctors, inadequate medical personnel and decaying hospital infrastructure across several government-owned health facilities.
Findings indicate that many general hospitals in the state are struggling to meet growing healthcare demands, leaving patients to endure long waiting hours, delayed treatments and limited access to specialist services.
A resident of Wukari Local Government Area, Yerima Ato, alleged that the shortage of doctors has forced some state hospitals to rely on medical personnel from the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jalingo.
According to him, the situation has affected the timely delivery of healthcare services.
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“Doctors are being brought from FMC Jalingo to cover the shortage in general hospitals. I once had a surgery delayed because we had to wait for doctors to arrive from the FMC,” he said.
Similar concerns were raised by Hajara Thomas, who noted that hospitals in Takum, Ussa, Gassol, Gashaka, Bali and other parts of the state face the same challenge.
She urged the government to recruit more doctors, nurses, laboratory scientists and other healthcare workers to improve service delivery, particularly in rural communities.
“People in rural areas deserve quality healthcare just like those in urban centres. Our hospitals need more qualified personnel,” she said.
Beyond the shortage of manpower, stakeholders also pointed to poor infrastructure as a major obstacle to effective healthcare delivery.
A resident of Lau Local Government Area lamented the poor condition of the council’s only government hospital, describing the facility as dilapidated and lacking adequate medical personnel.
Health expert John Mayo said many public hospitals operate with ageing structures, obsolete equipment and inadequate facilities, factors he noted are discouraging healthcare professionals from accepting postings to some locations.
“When healthcare facilities lack essential equipment and proper maintenance, it becomes difficult for medical personnel to perform effectively. Ultimately, patients suffer the consequences,” Mayo stated.
He called for increased government investment in hospital rehabilitation, provision of modern medical equipment and improved welfare packages for healthcare workers.
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Healthcare analysts believe the challenges facing Taraba mirror a wider national crisis driven by the migration of health workers, retirements, inadequate recruitment and poor funding of public health institutions.
They argue that strengthening primary healthcare centres, expanding recruitment and upgrading medical infrastructure are critical steps toward improving healthcare delivery in the state.
Despite growing concerns, the Taraba State Government had yet to respond to inquiries on the matter as of the time of filing this report.