Students Decry Decay At Enugu Health Institution, Govt Promises intervention

Once a pride of healthcare training in Enugu State, the College of Health Technology, Oji River, established in 1947, is now a shadow of its former self.

Years of neglect and decaying infrastructure have left students battling harsh learning conditions, even as the institution continues to produce vital health workers for the state and beyond.

Established in 1947, the College of Health Technology, Oji River, is charged with training middle-level healthcare professionals capable of delivering quality healthcare services and adapting to modern health challenges.

The college trains students to become skilled health workers who serve in hospitals, communities, and public health sectors.

Over the years, the institution has expanded both academically and administratively, introducing various programmes and producing a significant number of health workers now serving across Enugu State and beyond.

But despite these contributions, the college has faced several challenges, including inadequate and decaying infrastructure following decades of neglect.

Observers say the present condition of the school makes it unfit for human habitation, citing dilapidated structures, broken facilities, unsanitary toilets, bushy surroundings, inadequate classrooms and laboratories, as well as poor security.

At one of the hostels, students struggle daily with poor living conditions, raising concerns about their welfare and safety.

The students are now calling for urgent government intervention, accusing the management of prolonged neglect and failure to address critical welfare issues.

During a recent visit by top government officials, the provost of the college, Professor Lazarus Ezugwu, acknowledged the poor state of the institution, attributing it to years of abandonment by previous administrations.

The Enugu State Government has, however, promised a turnaround.
The Special Adviser on Health, Dr. Yomi Jaye, says plans are underway to carry out a massive renovation of facilities at the institution.

For a school once defined by neglect, the real test now lies not just in promises made, but in projects completed and sustained.
Stakeholders say only visible and deliberate action will restore confidence and transform the college into a conducive centre of learning once again.