The Alifeti Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Apa Local Government Area Benue state is in a dire state, serving as little more than a shell of a medical facility. Originally meant to cater to three communities, the center now stands as a crumbling structure with virtually no medical support, a recent investigation by Orodata Sciences CheckMyPHC has revealed.
The PHC, which receives an estimated 300 patients annually, has just two hospital beds and a single consulting room. Shockingly, there is no doctor, nurse, or community health extension worker (CHEW) stationed at the facility”only two CHEWs are actively on-site, struggling to provide care with almost no resources.
The CheckMyPHC report describes the Alifeti PHC as a “death trap, citing severely dilapidated infrastructure, an extreme lack of personnel, and the total absence of essential medical supplies.
Broken ceilings, damaged windows and doors, leaking roofs, and worn-out beds—this is what patients are met with at Alifeti PHC, the report stated.
Out of eight critical structural elements, seven are in complete disrepair. The facility has no perimeter fence, making it vulnerable to intruders and security threats.
The lack of electricity compounds the crisis. With no connection to the national grid, no solar power, and no generator, health workers rely on phone flashlights at night. Refrigeration for vaccines is impossible, jeopardizing immunization programs.
The PHC is missing 18 critical medical items, from basic syringes and bandages to life-saving oxygen and essential drugs. The labour ward has only one piece of equipment an infusion pump.
Emergencies are even more perilous. There is no ambulance service, meaning critically ill patients and expectant mothers must be transported on foot, bicycle, or motorcycle to other facilities”if they make it in time.
The government has not recruited new health workers in over a decade, worsening the crisis. The only active CHEW at the facility lacks support, training, and a proper reporting system. There is no recognition or reward system, leading to frustration and burnout.
Despite these severe limitations, the community continues to rely on the Alifeti PHC for essential healthcare services, with immunization efforts and treatment quality ratedgood, but the facility itself barely rated qs fair
Orodata Sciences report calls for immediate intervention from Governor Hyacinth Alia and Apa Local Government Chairman, Honourable Ochai Alidu.
Healthcare is a fundamental right, not a privilege. The people of Alifeti deserve access to a fully functional PHC with proper medical personnel, equipment, and infrastructure. Will the government act before another preventable death occurs? the report asks.
With the PHC’s current state putting countless lives at risk, urgent action is needed before more lives are lost to a failing healthcare system.
