Residents and medical staff in Kurmi Local Government Area of Taraba State are pleading with the state government to address the severe decay at the First Referral Hospital in Baissa. Recent social media images highlighting the hospital’s poor state have triggered calls for immediate government intervention to prevent a public health disaster.
The facility serves over 100,000 people, yet it currently suffers from leaking roofs, unreliable electricity, and a lack of clean water. According to local stakeholders represented by Dauda Hosea Bello, broken medical equipment and a lack of staff have forced the hospital to operate under dangerous conditions. In some units, as few as two volunteer workers are managing essential services, which significantly hampers emergency care and night operations.
Advocates warn that if the hospital continues to deteriorate, it could lead to avoidable deaths and a loss of faith in the regional healthcare system. Because this hospital serves as the primary referral hub for smaller clinics in the area, its total collapse would leave the entire community without emergency support. Furthermore, they argue that the state risks losing access to vital healthcare funding and donor programs if the facility is not brought up to standard.
The group has officially urged Governor Agbu Kefas to prioritize the urgent renovation of the building. Specifically, they requested the installation of solar power, new boreholes, modern theatre equipment, and an influx of qualified personnel, including doctors and nurses, to restore functionality to the site.
