The Ogulagha community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State has appealed to Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited for urgent intervention to rehabilitate and equip the Ogulagha Cottage Hospital, citing shortages of medical personnel, inadequate equipment and other essential facilities.
The appeal was contained in a letter addressed to the General Manager of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, in which the community requested the rehabilitation of the hospital, provision of additional doctors and other healthcare workers, medical equipment, furniture and support for the quarters of medical personnel.
The community alleged that the poor state of the hospital had contributed to several untimely deaths, particularly among pregnant women during childbirth, children and patients requiring emergency medical attention.
According to the community, some of the medical emergencies could have been managed successfully if the hospital had been functioning effectively and had adequate personnel and equipment.
The community therefore urged Tantita to intervene by rehabilitating the facility, equipping it with modern healthcare facilities and supporting the provision of adequate manpower to enable the hospital deliver effective medical services to residents.
Manpower Needs:
According to the staffing details contained in the community’s appeal, the hospital currently has one doctor and requires two additional doctors.
The community also listed five nurses as currently available and requested five additional nurses.
The laboratory department, according to the document, has one laboratory scientist or technician and requires two additional personnel, while the pharmacy department has one pharmacist or pharmacist technician and requires two more.
The records department has one staff member and requires two additional personnel, while the community requested two additional field labourers, two health assistants and two laundry workers.
The community said strengthening the hospital’s workforce would help improve the facility’s capacity to provide timely medical attention, particularly in emergencies and during childbirth.
Medical Equipment and Other Hospital Needs:
The community also presented an extensive list of equipment and other items it said were needed at the hospital.
The requested equipment includes two theatre/operating tables, 20 digital thermometers, two 4-D ultrasound machines and two delivery beds.
The community further requested 20 hospital-size foams, 100 bedsheets, 100 pillows and pillowcases, four digital sphygmomanometers, four neonatal Ambu bags, 20 nasal prongs and four suction machines.
Other requested medical equipment includes four mercury sphygmomanometers, one cardiotocograph (CTC) device for monitoring fetal heart rate, 10 theatre shoes/boots, including size 46, two nebulizers and one sterilizing machine.
For diagnostic and laboratory services, the community requested two Olympus CX22 microscopes, two centrifuges (Hanksley machine) for microhaematocrit testing and one CYLSMEX analyser.
The appeal also listed 10 air conditioners, 20 ceiling fans, two washing machines, 10 office chairs, 10 office tables, 10 smart television sets, four tabletop refrigerators and one big refrigerator for the blood bank.
Items Needed for Doctors’ and Nurses’ Quarters:
The community also requested support for the accommodation of doctors and nurses serving at the hospital.
According to the appeal, the quarters require 10 family-size foams, four electric stoves and ovens, three sets of furniture/chairs and dining tables, and 10 smart television sets.
The community said providing the necessary facilities for healthcare workers would complement the request for additional manpower and help create a more conducive environment for medical personnel working at the facility.
The appeal was signed by Comrade Bright B.A. Guwor, Executive Chairman, and Comrade Oluku Humphrey, Secretary-General, on behalf of the Ogulagha community.
The community expressed hope that Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited would respond positively to the appeal and support efforts to restore the cottage hospital to a standard capable of providing reliable healthcare services.
It said the intervention would improve access to healthcare for residents and help address the challenges faced by pregnant women, children and other patients requiring prompt medical attention.
The community consequently called for the rehabilitation, equipment and manpower support to be treated as an urgent intervention, stressing the importance of a functional healthcare facility to the wellbeing of residents of Ogulagha and surrounding communities.
