Emergency medical care in Ogoniland received a significant lift on Tuesday as the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) rolled out five newly acquired ambulances to strengthen frontline health response across the region.
Ogoni is an ethnic group located in Niger Delta and South-South region. They are known for their vast oil production in the South-East senatorial district of Rivers State.
In a post shared on the agency Facebook page on Wednesday, it indicated that he vehicles were handed over to Bori Zonal Hospital, Terabor General Hospital, Eleme General Hospital, Bodo General Hospital and Kpite Primary Health Care Centre at a ceremony held at the General Hospital, Nchia, Eleme.
The intervention is expected to reduce delays in emergency evacuations and improve access to critical care, particularly for residents in hard-to-reach communities.
Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, said the provision of the ambulances was informed by the need to close long-standing gaps in emergency response and referral services within Ogoni. He explained that timely transportation often determines health outcomes and remains a key pillar of effective public healthcare delivery.
According to him, the initiative reflects HYPREP’s strategy of complementing existing government health structures rather than duplicating them. He stressed that the Project would continue to align its activities with state and local health authorities, operating under the guidance of the Federal Ministry of Environment to achieve lasting public health impact.
Prof Zabbey reiterated that collaboration remains central to HYPREP’s mandate, noting that partnerships across institutions and sectors are necessary to ensure sustainability and public confidence in the Project’s interventions.
He outlined several health-focused programmes currently being implemented by HYPREP, including a comprehensive public health study being carried out by the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organisation, alongside the construction of major healthcare facilities such as the 100-bed Ogoni Specialist Hospital and the 40-bed Buan Cottage Hospital.
The Project Coordinator added that a number of hospitals and primary healthcare centres in Ogoni have already benefited from upgrades, with the installation of diagnostic, laboratory and surgical equipment, as well as the supply of hospital furniture and essential clinical tools designed to improve service quality and safety standards.
In addition, HYPREP has supported uninterrupted healthcare delivery through renewable energy installations, deploying solar power systems to selected hospitals and primary healthcare centres across Ogoni communities.
Furthermore, Prof Zabbey said HYPREP’s 2026 policy direction prioritises the completion and activation of key health and environmental infrastructure, while ensuring that facilities remain functional, environmentally sustainable and capable of delivering measurable improvements in people’s lives.
Responding on behalf of the Rivers State Government, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Oreh, described the donation as a practical intervention that goes beyond physical infrastructure. She noted that the ambulances would strengthen referral networks and ensure that patients can be moved swiftly to facilities where specialised care is available.
Dr Oreh commended HYPREP for its consistent engagement with the health sector and reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to continued collaboration to ensure that interventions are responsive to the needs of Ogoni communities and the wider Rivers State population.
Traditional rulers, community leaders and project stakeholders who delivered goodwill messages praised the initiative, describing it as timely, people-centred and capable of saving lives.
The ceremony drew attendance from members of HYPREP’s Governing Council and Board of Trustees, officials of the Rivers State Ministry of Health, community representatives and other dignitaries.
Earlier in the day, Prof Zabbey led the Health Commissioner on an inspection tour of the ongoing 40-bed Buan Cottage Hospital in Khana Local Government Area.
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