Ebonyi Community protest alleged mismanagement of DUFUTH by management

Medical and commercial activities at the David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital (DUFUTH) in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, were disrupted on Monday as members of the host community staged a protest against the hospital’s management.

The demonstration, led by four traditional rulers—Godwin Akpandu Okoro, Christopher Ngwu Abbah, Eze Umezurike, and Lazarus Umahi—saw protesters blocking the hospital’s entrance for hours, demanding reforms and accountability.

The aggrieved community members accused the hospital’s leadership of gross mismanagement, systemic abuse, and blatant disregard for the host community. They claimed that infrastructure and healthcare delivery had deteriorated significantly despite the hospital being positioned to offer top-tier medical services. According to the protesters, patients were frequently referred to Abakaliki for treatment, leading to the erosion of public trust in the facility. They alleged that the Chief Medical Director (CMD) and the Director of Administration had sabotaged the hospital’s mission through mismanagement and corruption.

Among their grievances, the community accused the hospital leadership of repurposing medical facilities for personal businesses, converting life-saving equipment centers into living quarters for security personnel and Youth Corps members, and denying clinical students from the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUHS) access to the hospital for training. They also claimed there were instances of job racketeering and corrupt employment practices, as well as the removal of essential hospital equipment—including beds, foam, medications, and generators—for use in other medical facilities.

Another major point of contention was the reported conflict between the hospital’s CMD and the Vice-Chancellor (VC) of DUFUHS, which the protesters said had hindered collaboration and progress despite intervention efforts from local traditional leaders and stakeholders. Additionally, they described the hospital as being in a state of disrepair, with dirty conveniences, cracked walls, leaking roofs, exposed electrical hazards, and makeshift shops springing up within the premises, which they said demonstrated a lack of order and professionalism.

The community also decried what they called an excessive billing system that had made healthcare inaccessible to vulnerable residents. According to them, poor personnel management had resulted in staff members neglecting their duties, while the CMD and key officials reportedly refused to reside in Uburu, further alienating them from the community. They accused the hospital’s leadership of disregarding agreements and directives related to the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between DUFUHS and DUFUTH, describing it as an act of sabotage.

In response, the hospital management dismissed the protest as unwarranted. The hospital’s Public Relations Officer, Agwu Nwogo, refuted the allegations in a statement, insisting that they were baseless and misleading. He described the CMD, Professor Uzoma Agwu, as a dedicated leader who inherited a struggling hospital and worked tirelessly to transform it.

According to him, the hospital had been nothing more than a shell when the CMD took over, with no clinical activities taking place. However, under her leadership, it had grown into a functional institution with over 700 staff members, including consultants. He highlighted improvements in the hospital’s physical infrastructure, noting that administrative and clinical operations had expanded across all floors of its five-story building. The hospital had also resolved post-construction defects, including plumbing, sewage, and water reticulation issues.

He further stated that despite significant challenges, the CMD had remained committed to providing quality healthcare. He cited the hospital’s accreditation by medical regulatory bodies such as the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, the Medical Laboratory Council, and the Pharmacy Council as proof of progress. The hospital had also recorded major achievements in clinical operations, performing complex surgeries such as plastic and reconstructive surgery, spinal cord procedures, hip replacements, knee arthroplasty, amputation surgeries, and cleft lip repairs.

Additionally, he pointed to the hospital’s commitment to community outreach, noting that the management had organized several free medical programs, including screenings, drug distribution, and surgeries for children aged 1-6. He also mentioned free dialysis treatments for kidney patients, which he said had been widely publicized.

While the protesters remained firm in their demands for accountability and reform, the hospital’s management insisted that the allegations were politically motivated and did not reflect the true state of the institution.