Mount Carmel Hospital: A Monumental Neglect

By Uwem Jonah Akpan, PhD

In Nigeria, Mount Carmel Hospital, Akpa Utong and Afia Nsit II (Afia Nsit Urua Nko), is a peculiar health institution because it is probably the only health facility that is located in two Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom State.

Akpa Utong is in Asutan Clan of Ibesikpo/Asutan Local Government Area, while Afia Nsit II (Afia Nsit Urua Nko) is in Western Nsit Clan, of Nsit Ibom Local Government Area.

It should be pointed out that I am yet to have the historical background of this health facility, but It can be recalled that in the1970 sand early 1980s, this Hospital used to be a very popular and a thriving health institution in the Old Cross River State.

It then had some of the best medical personnel (Doctors/Nurses, etc.), hence, patients from far flung locations such as the Republic of Cameroon, the Old Imo/River States, (Ogoja, Obudu, Ikom, Obubra, Akamkpa, etc. in the Old Cross River State), regularly accessed medical care there.

This hospital is so strategically located to serve four Local Government Areas in Akwa Ibom State, namely: Ibesikpo/Asutan, Nsit Ibom, Nsit Ubium and Nsit Atai (a part) – since these areas do not have General Hospitals.

For reasons yet to be unraveled, the hospital began to dwindle since in the early 2000s.

When I began an extensive research in Asutan in February this year, I started to access the Akpa Utong/Afia Nsit Urua Nko axis regularly.

I always observed that the premises do not reflect human activities within it as should necessarily be expected in a health institution of such magnitude.

Consequently, on Friday the 17th of May, 2024, I decided to make a stop-over and access the situation.

I entered the hospital premises before 3. 00 p.m. The gate was opened without any security personnel. I then gained entry into an office block that is supposed to be the Administrative Unit.

There was no staff in any of the rooms. I then noticed the dwindling state of the facilities there and brought out my phone to take some photographs.

I eventually stepped outside and moved to the next block, as was the experience in the first block, I did not see any staff in it.

I became very “provoked” and continued to take more photographs of the dilapidated structures and the dwindling facilities.

After sometime, I noticed that a woman was weeding in the farm within the premises.

I moved towards her direction. It was at that point that I observed the presence of a female staff in one of the blocks, who was preparing to leave.

I walked close to the female staff and engaged her in a brief conversation.

I enquired whether there was a Medical Superintendent in the Hospital; she answered in the affirmative, but added that he did not come to work that day.

I also sought to know whether there were other categories of staff working in the hospital, she also replied in the affirmative, but could not tell me the exact number of staff. She disclosed that her colleagues had closed for the day.

Although the hospital suffers from what I term above as “A Monumental Neglect” by its owner(s), (yet to be unraveled), I must commend the staff, who have turned the massive premises into a thriving farmland.

Their action would to some extent address the “food challenge”. Without the sign post, a visitor can easily have the impression that the premises is a Model Farm.

Below are the he glimpses of the Monumental Neglect:

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