Polobubo (Tsekelewu) cottage hospital in Warri North local government area Delta state is in extreme deplorable situation, says Mr Paul Toruwei, president, Polobubo (Tsekelewu) Bloc Communities.
Mr Toruwei In a statement appealed to the Delta state government to deploy medical doctors , nurses and other health workers to the hospital it took over after its completion at a whooping cost of N596 million through a strategic partnership between Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) and the Egbema-Gbaramatu Community Development Foundation (EGCDF) under the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU.
The statement reads : “The Polobubo (Tsekelewu) Cottage Hospital in Warri North Local Government Area, Delta State, stands today as a stark symbol of abandonment despite its noble origins and critical importance to the community it was built to serve. Commissioned and fully equipped at the cost of ₦596 million through a strategic partnership between Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) and the Egbema-Gbaramatu Community Development Foundation (EGCDF)* under the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU), this facility was formally handed over to the Delta State Government in 2018 for management and operation.
“Sadly, the hospital has remained non-functional due to inadequate staffing, lack of essential equipment, and total government neglect. The result has been devastating: community members continue to suffer from treatable illnesses, delayed diagnoses, and needless deaths on a daily basis. There are no resident doctors, nurses, or technical staff, no presence of the medical professionals needed to provide even the most basic healthcare services.
“We have lost hundreds of soul, including children and pregnant women as a direct result of this hospital not functioning. Conditions that should have been easily treated have become fatal due to the absence of prompt medical attention. The community mourns, not because help is impossible, but because it has been willfully withheld.
“Community leaders have repeatedly raised concerns over these operational failures and have called on the state government to fulfill its obligations by providing a fully functional healthcare facility with qualified personnel and modern equipment. The hospital, which should be a pillar of life-saving services, has instead become a monument of despair and neglect.
“This failure is particularly unacceptable when viewed against the immense contributions of the Polobubo (Tsekelewu) community to the economic strength of Delta State and the nation at large. The community plays host to numerous major oil and gas operations, including: Chevron Nigeria Limited in Opuekeba, Olero Fields, and offshore flow stations NPDC/Elcrest Joint Venture, operators of the Opuama Flow Station (OML 40) Tsekelewu/Polobubo Marginal Field, with about 5 oil wells.
“We call on the Delta State Government to urgently revive the Polobubo Cottage Hospital by deploying qualified medical professionals—doctors, nurses, technicians, and support staff. It should restore and upgrade medical equipment and diagnostic tools, ensuring consistent medical supplies and funding for operational sustainability.
“The Polobubo (Tsekelewu) community has kept its part of the social contract, supporting the economy, enabling oil production, and accepting corporate presence. It is time for the government to honor its responsibility to protect and care for the people.
“Let the Polobubo Cottage Hospital live up to its purpose. Let it save lives.”
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