Ogoni Specialist Hospital Nears Completion – Technical Committee lays Operational Blueprint
Report outlines governance, funding and service delivery framework to expand access to quality healthcare in Ogoniland
The Technical Planning Committee (TPC) for the Ogoni Specialist Hospital has submitted a comprehensive report proposing a sustainable framework to ensure access to quality healthcare for the Ogoni people, as the facility reaches 78.2 per cent completion.
The report was formally presented on Wednesday at the Project Coordination Office of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) to the Project Coordinator, Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, by the 14-man committee led by Professor Christie Mato.
The committee’s report provides detailed recommendations on the legal and governance framework for the hospital, its operational model, scope of services, human resource requirements, funding strategy, power supply options, waste management, environmental protection, as well as monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.
Professor Mato explained that the overarching goal of the report is to ensure the sustainable operationalisation of the 100-bed Ogoni Specialist Hospital and to foster equitable access to quality healthcare services for the Ogoni population. She noted that the hospital is a critical intervention aimed at addressing the long-standing environmental degradation in Ogoniland and its associated health consequences.
According to the report, the establishment of the specialist hospital will help bridge major gaps in access to specialised medical services in Ogoni and neighbouring areas, thereby strengthening the region’s public health system.
Commending the committee for what he described as a thorough and forward-looking document, Professor Zabbey said the Ogoni Specialist Hospital would significantly transform the public health landscape of the area.
“The hospital will not only provide quality healthcare services to the people of Ogoni, but also serve as vital infrastructure that will improve health outcomes and save lives,” he said.
Professor Zabbey further stated that the specialist hospital complements other ongoing HYPREP health interventions, including the construction of the Buan Cottage Hospital, the human biomonitoring study, the strengthening of existing hospitals and health centres, regular medical outreaches, and the planned distribution of ambulances to medical facilities.
“These interventions are part of a strategic effort to address longstanding gaps in healthcare delivery in line with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) recommendations for Ogoniland,” he added.
He disclosed that, upon completion, the Ogoni Specialist Hospital will operate as a referral hub, providing specialised medical care and reducing the need for patients to travel to distant urban tertiary hospitals.
The HYPREP Project Coordinator assured that the report would be promptly forwarded to the Governing Council for consideration and approval, noting that the Project Coordination Office would work with relevant partners to implement the recommendations in the overall public interest.
Professor Zabbey also appealed to Ogoni communities to continue supporting the Federal Government’s interventions through HYPREP by protecting critical infrastructure, including the specialist hospital.
Also speaking, former President of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) and TPC member, Mr Legborsi Saro Pygbara, described the submission of the report as a major milestone toward delivering accessible and quality healthcare to the Ogoni people.
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The Technical Planning Committee, inaugurated in May 2025, comprises seasoned academics, health professionals, administrators and community stakeholders, with Professor Christie Mato as Chairperson and Dr Kpoobari Nkpaa as Secretary.
When completed, the Ogoni Specialist Hospital, one of HYPREP’s flagship public health interventions, is expected to house key departments including Oncology, Infectious Diseases, Ophthalmology, Dentistry, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Pediatrics, Cardiology, among others.
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