Health on the Brink: Gombe Tumu ward’s clinic reveals deep crisis in Nigeria’s primary care system
By Patience Joshua,
Tumu Ward, Akko LGA, Gombe State The Tumu Ward Primary Health Care Centre in Gombe State, meant to be a lifeline for thousands, has instead become a glaring symbol of the collapse of Nigeria’s primary healthcare system.
This is special to frontline Investigative Program with support from Africa Data Hub and Orodata Science
On a recent visit to the facility, reporters observed twenty-three patients, most of them nursing mothers seeking immunization for their infants waiting in frustration. With only two full-time healthcare workers and two volunteers who visit twice weekly, the staff is critically overstretched and unable to meet the needs of the growing patient population.
The physical infrastructure of the centre paints a bleak picture. Crumbling walls, shattered windows, and leaking ceilings expose patients to the elements. The few rooms available are devoid of essential equipment, and the facility lacks even basic medical supplies. “This place isn’t safe, not for us or for our children,” said a patient who requested anonymity.
A community health worker, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed what residents have long feared: the facility is in a state of long-standing disrepair, with life-saving drugs often unavailable and patients routinely forced to purchase their own medications if they can afford them. Others turn to traditional healers or self-medicate, often with deadly consequences.
The labor room, which should be a haven for expectant mothers, is instead a place of danger and despair. Equipped with only a single worn-out bed and lacking basic materials, the facility is ill-prepared for even routine childbirth. “We’ve seen too many preventable deaths,” the health worker said.
The toilets, if they can be called that, are unusable. With broken doors and no running water, patients resort to open defecation, further exacerbating health risks in the community.
This is not just a local issue, it is a symptom of a national healthcare crisis. The situation in Tumu Ward mirrors conditions in underserved communities across Nigeria. Experts and healthcare advocates are calling for immediate government intervention that includes
“Emergency repairs to restore basic infrastructure, recruitment and proper training of medical personnel.
“Provision of essential medical equipment and consistent drug supply focused investment in maternal and child health services.
“Robust accountability and monitoring systems to prevent future neglect.
The silence surrounding the suffering in Tumu Ward must end. The people, especially the most vulnerable, deserve more than promises. They deserve protection, care, and a system that values their lives.
This investigation call on the Gombe State government, the Federal Ministry of Health, and international health agencies. What is needed now is not charity, but justice and a commitment to restore dignity and health to the people of Tumu Ward and beyond.