In the heart of Ebonyi State, particularly in the rural communities of Izhi Local Government Area, the state of primary healthcare centers (PHCs) tells a disturbing tale of neglect and hardship. These centers, which should serve as the first line of medical defense for the people, especially vulnerable groups like pregnant women and children, have been left in ruins—lacking basic medical personnel, essential drugs, and functional equipment.

During a recent free medical outreach organized by Abby Cares Foundation in Ezza Ophu village, a shocking reality unfolded. Pregnant women in the community had no access to basic antenatal care due to the absence of medical personnel and essential facilities. Even when medical help was available in nearby towns and cities, cultural and financial barriers prevented many women from seeking care. Some men outrightly refused to allow their wives to travel for medical attention, prioritizing traditional beliefs over their health and survival.

One particular case stood out. A young woman, married into a household solely to care for her husband’s aging father, was found to be pregnant with twins. She was already overdue by two weeks, yet she had never attended an antenatal clinic or undergone an ultrasound scan. The outreach team, realizing the grave danger she was in, rushed her to the Alex-Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki (AE-FUTHA), where she was booked for an emergency cesarean section.

Shockingly, her father-in-law called her at the hospital, demanding her immediate return home. His reason? She had gone to the hospital without first seeking her husband’s permission. It took the intervention of the Abby Cares Foundation, backed by legal threats, to ensure the woman returned to the hospital for safe delivery after she sneaked out of the hospital to go home due to threats from the aged father-in-law. Even after she successfully delivered her twins, neither the husband nor her father-in-law has visited her, underscoring the deep-seated cultural barriers to maternal healthcare access in rural Ebonyi.

The heartbreaking experiences in Ezza Ophu highlight the urgent need for the government to prioritize the revitalization of primary healthcare centers in rural Ebonyi State. The absence of functioning health facilities has left many women and children vulnerable to preventable complications, leading to high maternal and infant mortality rates. To address this crisis, the government must:

1. Upgrade and Equip PHCs: Basic medical equipment such as ultrasound scanners, delivery kits, and laboratory tools must be provided. Every PHC should have at least one qualified doctor and several trained midwives to handle maternal and child health emergencies.

2. Recruit and Retain Medical Personnel: Many rural PHCs remain abandoned due to a lack of healthcare workers. The government should introduce incentives, such as higher salaries and rural allowances, to attract doctors and nurses to these areas.

3. Implement Community Health Awareness Programs: Many men in rural communities still hold harmful beliefs that prevent their wives from accessing medical care. Government and NGOs must intensify community sensitization to change these narratives and encourage male involvement in maternal health.

4. Make Healthcare Services Free for Pregnant Women and Children: The financial burden of medical care discourages many rural women from seeking help. A free maternal and child health policy should be enforced to encourage antenatal visits and safe deliveries.

5. Improve Literacy Through Free Education: A significant factor contributing to health negligence in rural communities is illiteracy. Many families do not understand the importance of medical care due to a lack of education. The government must prioritize free and compulsory basic education to bridge this knowledge gap.

The situation in Izhi Local Government Area is not unique to Ebonyi State, it is a crisis affecting many rural communities across Nigeria. However, the government cannot afford to look away while preventable deaths continue to occur. Urgent intervention is needed to strengthen primary healthcare systems, educate rural populations, and dismantle harmful cultural norms that endanger lives.

For women like the one rescued in Ezza Ophu, access to quality healthcare should not be a privilege but a basic right. The government must act now before more lives are lost to preventable conditions. Ebonyi’s rural women and children deserve better.

(Martins Nwebonyi, A Concerned Citizen Writes From Ebonyi State.)