An 80-bed hospital equipped with modern medical facilities remains shut in Ipetumodu, Osun State, more than three years after its commissioning, while the community’s existing General Hospital continues to struggle with deteriorating infrastructure, inadequate equipment and limited medical personnel.
The facility, facilitated by former presidential spokesman Femi Adesina under the Federal Government’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) programme, was commissioned on May 23, 2023, and handed over to the Osun State Government to provide staffing, management and operational services.
However, the hospital has yet to admit its first patient, leaving residents of Ipetumodu and neighbouring communities without access to a facility designed to improve healthcare delivery in the area.
In a report published on October 11, 2026, The PUNCH said the hospital had remained largely unused despite the installation of modern medical equipment. The newspaper also reported that residents had been paying for security at the premises to prevent further vandalism.
The Secretary of the Ipetumodu Development Forum, Kehinde Oyetunmbi, told The PUNCH that the community had repeatedly sought government intervention since the facility was handed over.
The union’s National Public Relations Officer, Habeeb Arayemi, said the community was struggling to sustain the cost of securing the premises.
According to Arayemi, about 10 air conditioners and electrical cables were stolen during a burglary, while the hospital compound had become overgrown with weeds.
Although some stolen equipment was reportedly replaced following government intervention, the hospital has yet to commence operations.
The contractor handling the project was also reported to have attributed the outstanding work to the exhaustion of funds released for construction.
The prolonged closure has become more troubling because of the condition of the existing Ipetumodu General Hospital, which serves several communities in the area.
During a visit on September 20, 2026, The PUNCH observed damaged roofing, wards without beds and functioning medical equipment, and a facility relying on well water after its borehole stopped working.
Community sources told the newspaper that the hospital had only one nurse and a doctor, with limited attendance during the week. Residents also reported travelling to Ile-Ife for medical treatment because of the poor condition of local facilities.
The Deputy Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Akinyode Oyewusi, was reported to have intervened following the theft of equipment. However, the intervention did not bring the hospital into operation.
The state government had previously defended its handling of the project. In a report published by Osun Spring on October 18, 2025, the government said the facility required corrective work, including repairs to the roof, improvements to electricity supply and the provision of missing essentials.
The government also said it had equipped the laboratory, repaired the generator and was working towards connecting the hospital to the national grid before deploying personnel.
However, The PUNCH reported on October 11, 2026, that efforts to obtain a fresh response from the state Commissioner for Health, Jola Akintola, were unsuccessful.
For residents, the delay means a new hospital remains unavailable while the older facility struggles to meet local healthcare needs. Community leaders are urging the state government to complete the outstanding work, provide personnel and begin operations.
Until that happens, the 80-bed hospital will remain an unused public investment in a community that says it urgently needs better access to affordable healthcare.
