Residents of Taraba State have raised concerns over the shortage of medical personnel and inadequate infrastructure in general hospitals across the state.
Some residents who spoke on Monday in Jalingo said the situation has significantly affected healthcare delivery in public facilities.
A resident of Wukari, Mr. Yerima Ato, said the general hospital in the area currently has no permanently stationed qualified doctors.
He alleged that medical staff are occasionally brought in from other facilities to provide limited services, a situation he said has weakened effective care delivery.
According to him, doctors are often drafted from the Federal Medical Centre in Jalingo to cover gaps in the general hospitals, adding that this arrangement leads to delays in treatment.
He recalled an instance where a scheduled surgical procedure was postponed because doctors had to be mobilised from another facility.
Ato added that many general hospitals rely on the same pool of doctors serving at the Federal Medical Centre, which contributes to overstretched services.
Another resident, Mrs. Hajara Thomas, said similar challenges exist in hospitals across several local government areas, including Takum, Ussa, Gassol, Gashaka and Bali.
She urged the state government to recruit more medical professionals to improve access to quality healthcare at both general and primary health facilities.
A health expert, Mr. John Mayo, also expressed concern over the poor state of hospital infrastructure in the state.
He noted that dilapidated facilities in many public hospitals discourage healthcare workers and limit efficiency in service delivery.
However, he commended Governor Agbu Kefas for ongoing efforts to renovate some general hospitals across the state.