Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A primary healthcare centre in Gadumo community, Ajaokuta Local Government Area of Kogi State that was commissioned as a constituency project in October 2022 remains shuttered and non-functional more than three years after its inauguration, prompting concern among local residents and health policy experts about rural health service delivery and government accountability. The facility, intended to provide essential healthcare services to a predominantly rural population, has never been opened for use because no staff have been posted and no operational support has been provided.
The structure, commissioned by the immediate past member of the House of Representatives representing the area, was expected to serve as a first point of care for common illnesses, maternal and child health services, immunisations, and basic preventive healthcare for Gadumo and neighbouring communities. Yet recent inspections showed that the building remains locked, with no sign of medical equipment, personnel housing or supplies necessary for healthcare delivery. Community members say the facility’s gate and compound have been secured with padlocks long after its commissioning, leaving the project abandoned.
The non-operation of the Gadumo Primary Health Care Centre reflects wider staffing and resource challenges across primary healthcare centres in Kogi State. According to state health reports, Ajaokuta LGA is among the local government areas with significant staffing deficits, falling below the minimum required numbers of health workers such as nurses, midwives, community health workers and physicians necessary to deliver core services. These staffing shortfalls have direct implications for rural health outcomes, particularly in maternal and child health where skilled attendance is critical.
Locals have expressed frustration at the situation, noting that the lack of posted health personnel effectively renders the facility a building without function. Many residents are forced to travel long distances to facilities in neighbouring communities or towns for even basic medical support, a challenge made worse by poor road conditions and limited transportation options. Expectant mothers, children under five, and the elderly — all groups at heightened health risk — have been particularly impacted by the absence of local services.
Civil society groups and health advocates point out that such scenarios are not uncommon in Kogi State and other regions of Nigeria, where primary healthcare facilities are constructed but remain non-operational due to inadequate planning for staffing, supplies, and sustainable operation. They argue that building infrastructure without parallel commitments to recruit, deploy, and retain qualified health workers undermines public investment and the intent of constituency projects designed to improve grassroots health outcomes.
The Kogi State Primary Health Care Development Agency, which operates under the policy oversight of the Kogi State Ministry of Health, is mandated to support PHC facilities, including staffing and service delivery coordination. Yet even as the state government invests in revitalising rural health infrastructure — including commissioning dozens of PHC centres with perimeter fencing, water supply, and power systems — the persistent absence of frontline workers at some sites has raised concern about the effectiveness of implementation and follow-through on such investments.
Health sector analysts note that rural postings are often unattractive to many health workers because of limited incentives, inadequate living conditions, and the absence of support services that make sustained rural practice viable. Without targeted strategies such as housing support, hardship allowances, continuous training opportunities, and reliable facilities, efforts to improve rural healthcare coverage are likely to fall short.
Residents of Gadumo have appealed to state health authorities and political representatives to take immediate action by deploying trained personnel to the centre and ensuring it is equipped with necessary drugs, consumables and basic medical equipment. They argue that failing to operationalise facilities that have already been built not only deprives the community of essential services but also erodes trust in public institutions and government promises.
The abandoned PHC highlights broader challenges in the planning and execution of constituency projects linked to health infrastructure. Community leaders and civil society advocates have called for stronger oversight mechanisms to ensure that such projects are not only physically delivered but are made functional and integrated into the health system with ongoing support and accountability.
Kogi State government officials have not publicly responded to the specific case of the Gadumo facility, even as wider efforts to expand and strengthen the primary healthcare network across the state continue. Health advocates insist that resolving staff gaps, ensuring consistent drug supplies and properly activating existing health centres are critical to achieving meaningful improvements in rural health outcomes.
As the situation remains unresolved, the people of Gadumo and surrounding areas continue to wait for the facility that was promised as a lifeline for local healthcare to become a reality, rather than a locked symbol of unmet promises.
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