Prince Joseph Okwara, CEO of Umuna Villa Hotel & Suites, Advocates for Rural Health Reforms
…Decries Rising Mortality Rates in Rural Communities
By Amaechi Chidinma
In a passionate appeal to government and health authorities, the Chief Executive Officer of Umuna Villa Hotel & Suites in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State, Prince Joseph Okwara (Akajiugo 1 of Umuna), has urged urgent and sustained intervention to address the growing health and safety challenges facing rural communities.
Speaking to journalists in Owerri following an extensive assessment of grassroots living conditions, the prominent entrepreneur expressed deep concern over the high mortality rate in rural areas. He attributed the alarming trend to poor healthcare delivery, inadequate medical facilities, and unsafe transportation practices.
According to Prince Okwara, the overreliance on motorcycles—popularly known as okada—as the primary mode of transport in rural areas has become a major contributor to avoidable deaths. He emphasized that both riders and passengers frequently neglect the use of helmets, a critical safety measure often overlooked due to lax enforcement by traffic authorities.
“In most villages, motorcycles are the only means of transportation,” Okwara noted. “Unfortunately, the absence of helmet use has led to countless fatalities. Head and spinal injuries from crashes are common, and excessive bleeding from such accidents often results in instant death.”
He further criticized the quality of healthcare available in rural regions, highlighting the widespread presence of unqualified personnel operating in clinics and diagnostic centres. According to him, many so-called health officers lack the credentials or oversight required to provide safe and effective care.
“One of the silent killers in rural areas is poor diagnosis from substandard laboratories,” he said. “Without regular inspection and monitoring, these facilities continue to put lives at risk. Quackery in healthcare is rampant, and many rural dwellers are paying the price with their lives.”
Prince Okwara called on local government health authorities and sanitary inspectors to intensify oversight functions, including routine inspections of clinics and maternity homes. He emphasized the need to identify and shut down illegal health facilities while promoting the training and deployment of qualified health workers to rural posts.
He also expressed particular concern for maternal health, stating that the absence of proper antenatal care is contributing significantly to the high rate of maternal mortality in these areas.
“Too many women are dying in childbirth due to lack of access to basic prenatal services. It’s unacceptable that in this modern era, our rural mothers still face such risks,” he lamented.
Prince Okwara, a respected voice in the business and hospitality sector, reaffirmed his commitment to community development. He urged all levels of government to treat rural health and safety issues as a matter of urgency, stressing that every Nigerian—regardless of location—deserves access to quality healthcare and secure living conditions.
“We cannot continue to ignore the suffering of our people in the villages. Government must rise to its responsibility and prioritize rural development,” he concluded.
