Residents of Sabo community in Kuje Area Council, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have raised alarm over what they describe as a silent humanitarian crisis caused by the deplorable condition of the Sabo Primary Health Care (PHC) centre, which serves an estimated population of over 7,200 people.
Findings by Chronicles Reporters, corroborated by data and reports from TrackerNG, reveal that the health facility has remained in a state of abandonment for over seven years, leaving pregnant women and other vulnerable residents without access to basic healthcare services.
The once-functional PHC has been reduced to ruins. Its roof and ceiling have collapsed, wards are without beds, and there are no essential drugs, medical equipment, or functional delivery facilities. The centre is reportedly overrun by neglect, forcing residents to rely on unregulated local chemists and traditional remedies for medical treatment.
Community members told Chronicles Reporters that several women have lost their lives during childbirth due to the absence of skilled medical care and emergency response facilities at the health centre.
“Women go into labour with no place to be attended to. By the time they are rushed to distant hospitals, many do not survive,” a resident lamented.
Public health advocates warn that the situation violates basic healthcare standards and underscores a broader failure in primary healthcare delivery at the grassroots level. Maternal health experts note that preventable childbirth-related deaths are often linked to poor infrastructure, lack of skilled personnel, and delayed access to emergency obstetric care — all of which define the current state of Sabo PHC.
Residents are calling on the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike; the Senator representing the FCT, Ireti Kingibe; and the Chairman of Kuje Area Council, Hon. Abdullahi Sabo, to urgently intervene.
They are demanding the immediate reconstruction, rehabilitation, and full equipping of the Sabo PHC, including the provision of trained medical staff, essential drugs, maternity beds, and emergency delivery equipment.
According to TrackerNG, Sabo PHC was previously captured in public health infrastructure assessments, yet no meaningful rehabilitation has been carried out despite repeated community complaints.
As maternal mortality continues to rise in underserved communities like Sabo, residents insist that government inaction is no longer acceptable.
“Healthcare is a right, not a privilege,” another resident said. “How many more women must die before something is done?”
Chronicles Reporters will continue to monitor developments and hold responsible authorities accountable until decisive action is taken.