…Says specialist hospital 76% completed, to include cancer care unit

By Davies Iheamnachor

PORT HARCOURT – The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has partnered with the World Health Organization (WHO) to conduct a comprehensive health assessment of the Ogoni people, focusing on disease patterns, including kidney-related conditions.

This initiative aligns with the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Report on environmental restoration in Ogoniland.

HYPREP Project Coordinator, Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, disclosed this during the 2023–2025 Mid-Term Stakeholders Engagement and Scorecard Presentation held in Port Harcourt.

Prof. Zabbey stated that significant progress has been made in areas such as the provision of clean drinking water, livelihoods, environmental remediation, and healthcare delivery in Ogoni communities.

He revealed that construction of a 100-bed Ogoni Specialist Hospital is currently 76% completed. The hospital, he said, will feature an Oncology Department to address cancer and other chronic health conditions, particularly those linked to environmental pollution.

“HYPREP has engaged the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Cancer Research (IARC) to conduct a detailed health study on the Ogoni people,” Zabbey announced. “The study will assess hydrocarbon exposure and its potential link to prevalent disease patterns, as recommended by UNEP.”

He added that a committee of seasoned health professionals has been inaugurated to design a framework for sustainable access and operation of the specialist hospital, which will also serve surrounding communities and states beyond Ogoniland.

Meanwhile, the President of the apex Ogoni socio-cultural organization, KAGOTE, Hon. Emma Deeyah, commended President Bola Tinubu for giving due attention to the Ogoni clean-up project.

Deeyah noted that the president’s responsiveness to the concerns of Ogoni people is evident in the progress being made by HYPREP under Prof. Zabbey’s leadership.

He urged the Ogoni community to rally behind the project coordinator to ensure the continued success of the remediation and restoration efforts.