The Benue State Government has begun a statewide audit of general hospitals to address years of infrastructural decay and ensure the effective deployment of donated medical equipment across secondary healthcare facilities.
The needs assessment, led by the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Paul Ejeh Ogwuche, kicked off at the General Hospital, North Bank, Makurdi, before extending to hospitals in Aliade (Gwer West), Idekpa (Ohimini), Otukpa (Ogbadibo) and Oju local government areas.
The exercise follows the donation of 10 containers of high-tech medical equipment worth several billions of naira to the state by Project C.U.R.E., USA, facilitated by Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia in 2025.
Dr. Ogwuche said the assessment is aimed at identifying facility-specific gaps in infrastructure, manpower and equipment to prevent the indiscriminate or politically motivated distribution of the donated items.
“This process is about matching needs with resources so that equipment goes where it is most needed and can be optimally used,” he said during one of the visits.
Members of the assessment team include a representative of Project C.U.R.E., USA, Mrs. Kerry Jeffords; the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Beatrice Tsavmbu; the Executive Secretary of the Benue State Health Management Board, Dr. Matthew Onoja; and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Mr. Fidelis Unongo.
According to the Commissioner, preliminary findings from the visits reveal significant deficiencies in infrastructure, obsolete equipment and service delivery challenges in several of the hospitals, underscoring the urgency of the intervention.
He noted that the Alia administration considers healthcare delivery a priority and is determined to rebuild public confidence in government-owned hospitals through deliberate and measurable reforms.
Dr. Ogwuche also called on healthcare workers to complement the government’s efforts by upholding professional standards, stressing that improved facilities must translate into better patient care.
The state government said outcomes of the assessment will guide immediate rehabilitation works and the phased deployment of medical equipment as part of its broader plan to overhaul secondary healthcare services in Benue State.
