Rivers State Governor Unveils New Hospitals

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has officially inaugurated two significant healthcare facilities: a brand-new General Hospital and a newly upgraded Neuropsychiatric Hospital, both located in Rumuigbo, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.

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It was there and then that I said: Look, we have this very big compound, we need to rebuild, modernise and upgrade the standard of this Neuropsychiatric Hospital and that day, we started this journey.

The governor explained that the decision to rebuild and modernize the Neuropsychiatric Hospital stemmed from an inspection of the existing facility, which he found to be in a state of disrepair and even a hub for drug trafficking. "This premises was a drug trafficking centre," Fubara stated, noting that the upgrade includes enhanced security measures like fencing and controlled access points to mitigate such activities.

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This premises was a drug trafficking centre. We keep people in the Rehabilitation Centre, but some of our people innocently come here to play football while others are carrying bags to sell drugs to the inmates.

The revitalized Neuropsychiatric Hospital now boasts a 100-bed standard rehabilitation center designed to address mental health challenges and substance abuse issues. Governor Fubara highlighted that these challenges are often exacerbated by factors like unemployment and depression, and the center aims to help individuals return to normalcy.

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But with what we have done today, I believe that the environment is secured, well-fenced and if you must enter here you must pass through the gates. So, to some extent, it will reduce these activities of drug trafficking in this premises.

Addressing the need for the General Hospital, Fubara pointed out that Obio/Akpor, being one of the state's largest local government areas, previously lacked adequate tertiary healthcare services. Residents often had to travel to the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital or Braithwaite Memorial Hospital. The new General Hospital will now provide local access to treatment, with referrals to higher facilities only when necessary.

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Even in developed countries, they send people to Rehabilitation Centres and they help bring you back to normalcy. So what we have done here is to prepare for the current challenges of our time.