A devastating fire outbreak has destroyed vaccines and critical medical equipment worth hundreds of millions of naira at the Ebonyi State Ministry of Health.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Friday at the ministry’s cold store facility in Abakaliki, dealing a major blow to the state’s immunisation programme.
State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Moses Ekuma, who inspected the scene, described the damage as severe. He revealed that the facility housed essential vaccines and specialised cold-chain systems used for preservation.
Items lost in the blaze include vaccines such as BCG, pentavalent, and HPV, alongside vaccine carriers, cold-chain boxes, refrigerators, solar-powered units, laptops, official documents, and hospital equipment.
Also destroyed were hospital beds and mattresses supplied by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency for distribution to maternal and child health programmes.
Despite the scale of destruction, no lives were lost. Ekuma praised the swift response of fire service personnel and other agencies for preventing the fire from spreading further.
The cause of the fire remains unknown. However, the commissioner disclosed that the facility had been without public electricity for five days, while its backup solar system was also non-functional at the time.
Efforts had reportedly been made to restore power through the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, while the solar technician responsible for maintenance was unavailable before the incident.
A committee has now been set up to investigate the cause of the fire and recommend preventive measures.
The incident has disrupted immunisation activities in Ebonyi State, with authorities working to provide temporary arrangements for affected staff and assess the structural damage.
Fire service officials confirmed they received a distress call at about 5:18 a.m. and quickly mobilised to contain the intense blaze.
The development has raised concerns about the protection of critical medical infrastructure and the risks posed to public health delivery systems.
