The Esther Matthew Tonlagha Foundation (EMT) is set to recommission the fully renovated Cottage Hospital in Okerenkoko, Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State. The ceremony is scheduled to hold on Friday, July 4, 2025, by 10:00 a.m., at the hospital premises.
The event marks a significant milestone in EMT Foundation’s commitment to improving healthcare delivery in rural and riverine communities across the Niger Delta. As part of the recommissioning, the Foundation will officially hand over a refurbished medical facility, alongside the donation of modern medical equipment and the deployment of qualified healthcare personnel to the hospital.
According to the EMT Foundation, the renovated Cottage Hospital now boasts enhanced infrastructure and improved medical facilities capable of handling basic and emergency healthcare needs. This includes upgraded treatment and diagnostic sections, maternity services, emergency units, and functional utility systems to support uninterrupted operations. The Foundation also disclosed that essential drugs, beds, and critical care resources have been provided to support the hospital’s operations.
In addition to equipping the hospital, EMT is deploying trained medical professionals, including doctors, nurses, and support staff, to ensure the facility is fully functional and accessible to the community on a daily basis. This move is expected to drastically improve healthcare accessibility and reduce the reliance on distant urban centres for medical treatment, especially for women, children, and the elderly.
The project has been widely commended by community leaders and residents, who described the hospital’s rehabilitation as a long-awaited intervention that will bring relief to thousands of people within and around Okerenkoko. The commissioning ceremony is expected to attract traditional rulers, chiefs, government officials, officials from the Delta State Ministry of Health, healthcare partners, and stakeholders from within the Gbaramatu Kingdom.
Mrs. Esther Matthew Tonlagha, founder of the EMT Foundation, has continued to lead impactful initiatives in health, education, and empowerment across the region. The recommissioning of the hospital follows closely on the heels of a successful two-day free medical outreach jointly organized by the Nigerian Navy and EMT Foundation under the banner of Operation Delta Sanity II, held in the same community.
With this renewed investment in healthcare infrastructure and personnel, the Esther Matthew Tonlagha Foundation reaffirms its dedication to building resilient health systems and improving the quality of life in the Niger Delta.
