HYPREP Donates Five Ambulances To Health Facilities In Ogoniland

In a major step towards strengthening public healthcare delivery in Ogoniland, the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has donated five ambulances to key public health facilities across the region, in line with its ongoing public health strengthening and intervention programmes.

The ambulances were presented to the Bori Zonal Hospital, Terabor General Hospital, Eleme General Hospital, Bodo General Hospital, and Kpite Primary Health Care Centre during a ceremony held at the General Hospital, Nchia, Eleme, Rivers State.

Speaking at the event, Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, Project Coordinator of HYPREP, said the donation was designed to address persistent public health challenges in Ogoni by enhancing emergency medical response, strengthening referral systems, and ensuring timely access to life-saving care at the community level.

According to Prof. Zabbey, the intervention reflects HYPREP’s resolve to work collaboratively with existing government institutions and policies to deliver sustainable public health outcomes for the people of Ogoni.

“This gesture will significantly enhance response to medical emergencies at the community level, strengthen patient referral systems and ensure timely access to lifesaving care for the people of Ogoni,” he said.

He added that the donation of the ambulances, alongside other ongoing interventions, underscores HYPREP’s commitment to synergising with the Rivers State Government and the local government councils in Ogoni, in line with directives of the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Environment.

“HYPREP remains open to collaborations and partnerships across various thematic areas of our mandate. Such collaboration is essential to ensuring the Project’s overall success, sustainability and credibility,” the Project Coordinator stated.

Zabbey highlighted several other public health interventions being implemented by HYPREP, including the ongoing public health study being conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organisation (IARC-WHO), the construction of the 100-Bed Ogoni Specialist Hospital and the 40-Bed Buan Cottage Hospital, periodic medical outreaches, and the strengthening of selected health facilities across Ogoni.

He explained that facilities such as Bori General Hospital, Terabor General Hospital, Eleme General Hospital, and Kpite Primary Health Care Centre have benefitted from the installation of critical medical equipment, including X-ray machines, complete digital ultrasound systems, chemical pathology analysers, haematology analysers, microbiology laboratory equipment, as well as theatre equipment and surgical instruments.

According to him, HYPREP has also provided hospital furniture, patient support equipment and essential clinical accessories for theatres and laboratories to ensure safe workflows and adherence to sterilisation protocols.

In addition, Prof. Zabbey disclosed that the Project has provided renewable energy support to health facilities by installing 36-kilowatt solar power systems at the Nonwa, Onne, Kwawa and K-Dere Primary Health Care Centres, as well as at Bodo General Hospital, to guarantee uninterrupted power supply for healthcare services.

The Project Coordinator further revealed that HYPREP’s 2026 policy thrust is focused on completing and operationalising key infrastructure projects, including the Ogoni Specialist Hospital, the Buan Cottage Hospital and the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, while ensuring environmental sustainability and improved functionality of its facilities.

He noted that the policy direction also prioritises economic rebirth through increased stakeholder engagement, with visible and measurable impact on the daily lives of the Ogoni people.
Prof. Zabbey expressed appreciation to the Rivers State Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Oreh, for the consistent support of the Ministry of Health towards the success of HYPREP’s public health interventions.

In her acceptance remarks, Dr Oreh described the donation as a clear demonstration of HYPREP’s commitment to addressing critical community needs, particularly in the area of health and well-being, beyond environmental remediation.

“The donation of these five ambulances demonstrates that HYPREP’s focus on supporting the health sector goes beyond equipping and furnishing health facilities to building responsive and resilient systems,” she said.

She explained that the ambulances would strengthen referral pathways and ensure the effective and efficient transfer of patients from primary and secondary facilities to centres where specialised care is available.

Commending HYPREP for the initiative, the Commissioner conveyed the assurance of the Rivers State Government to continue collaborating with the Project to ensure that its public health initiatives align with the needs and priorities of the people of Ogoni and Rivers State at large.

In separate goodwill messages, HRM King (Dr) Philip Osaro Obele, Oneh-Eh Eleme XI; Rt. Hon. Emma Deeyah, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Ogoni Trust Fund Inc.; Engr. Ehioze Igbinomwanhia, Project Support Lead for Renaissance Africa Energy Company/JV; and Chief (Hon.) Obariollormate Ollor, Chairman, Eleme Local Government Area, commended HYPREP for what they described as a life-saving and people-centred intervention.
The event attracted several dignitaries, including members of the HYPREP Governing Council and Board of Trustees, representatives of the Zonal Representative Council (ZRC), Dr Vincent Nwachukwu, Director of Medical Services, Rivers State Ministry of Health, Dr Bright Ogbonda, Chief Medical Director, Rivers State Hospital Management Board, Prof. Damian-Paul Aguiyi, Director of Technical Services, as well as heads of departments and staff of HYPREP.
Earlier, Prof. Zabbey had led the Commissioner for Health on an inspection tour of the ongoing 40-Bed Buan Cottage Hospital in Khana Local Government Area, as part of efforts to assess progress on critical healthcare infrastructure in Ogoni.