Umuaka Community Hospital (UCH) was established in 1982 to procure Umuaka people and their neighbouring communities with adequate medical services and also to prevent anymore of the diverse health complications and difficulties they encountered in the processes of seeking for proper medical services in distant locations (P.I).

Most people in Umuaka remember the long bicycle rides to St. Mary's Hospital at Amaigbo, or the hilly journey to Awo Omamma Community Hospital. Those were Long and Difficult journeys and often the patient arrived late and was not permitted to see the doctor or nurse in some cases. Umuaka depended on these hospitals, but sometimes the Owerri General Hospital was the place to go to. Occasionally, Emeke Ukwu and Ihiala hospitals served our needs.

During the 1950's the only health clinic in our town was the Umuaka Dispensary which was located about two hundred yards away from Ime Afor toward the Njaba River. Mr Stephen Uzoegwu dispensed medicines and treated our injuries. As the town grew in population and commerce, there was a greater need for medical facilities. Mrs Dora Amuzie, the first nurse and midwife produced by Umuaka, established a maternity home at Ugbele village.

From the late 1950's most babies were delivered at this maternity home. The new maternity also helped in reducing the need to travel to Amaigbo or Awo omamma. Dorothy Amuzie made arrangements so that medical doctors visited her maternity monthly to offer medical check-ups to pregnant women and other sick villagers. Medicines were given out for malaria, hellow fever, etc, and vaccinations were also given if needed. Mrs. Amuzie became the most popular and respected daughter of Umuaka. She has enjoyed that reputation ever since.

Much credit goes to her father, late Chief Paul Okoro-Ojiaku, a pioneer and champion for women's education. For example, in his speech captured on tape at Dr Greg Okoro send-off party on Dec 28, 1973, late Paul Okoro Ojiaku continued to laments the failure of some villages to educate their daughters. In a serious but funny manner which drew an applause, he said:

"Ihe ha ka Isiozi, Achara, Amiyi, Ibele na Ugbele. Aridu ke nazu Umunwanyi na school. Ha zuchaa ndi nkoke, ha gbalaga, si ndi nwanyi eji muo eme gini. Anam ebe akwa maka ya. Mu zuchaa ndi nkem ha bia guria."

There is documentation that he was among the fiest few throughout the old Amaigbo parish to send their daughters to school. His long range educational vision paid dividends in Dorothy's maternity home.

Following the footsteps of Dorothy Amuzie, Mr. Philip Achazie established a second maternity home at Uba Village, at a site very near to the old dispensary. This maternity was not as successful as the one at Ugbele. It folded after several years. There are a number of reasons for this. First her experience. Mrs. Amuzie had ben in the medical line from the time she was a young school girl. She did a good job delivering babies and so kept the women patronizing her. Second, she has strong public relations skills. Third, we can also add that her extended family ties played an important role in promoting her maternity home.

There were also other private Maternities/Health clinic that served Umuaka people before the establishment of UCH, such as Florence Ewurum Maternity at Ugbele, Worship Clinic at Umuele, and hosts of other little chemists. They also rendered tremendous medical services to Umuaka people (P.I).

But the desire for a full-Fledged hospital at Umuaka continued to exist. Through their usual self-help efforts, the people of Umuaka contributed money and Umuaka Community Hospital (UCH) was born in early 1980. Trips to Amaigbo, Awo Omamma, Ihiala and other hospitals are now necessary only when a patient needs specialized care. Ordinary check-ups for aches and pain are performed at Umuaka. Also minor operations and surgeries are done here. Umuaka hospital has become a major employer of our daughters and sisters. But many men have also found employment at the hospital, especially in the security and kitchen areas.

Umuaka Community Hospital is still a young and developing health clinic. As such, it needs a lot of help. There is a need for hospital beds, medicines and all sorts of medical equipment. There is a need for mop buckets, for linen, soaps, and disinfectants, There is a need for nurses' uniforms, and the list continues.

In light of this litany of needs, Dr Greg Okoro extends an appeal to all sons and daughters of Umuaka everywhere, and to their foreign friends to give any and all assistance they can muster in order to keep our young hospital going strong. As am example, upon his recommendation and requesting November 1988, Lake Superior State University in Michigan, donated some money to Umuaka Community Hospital for a memorial in the Name of Late Paul Okoro Ojiaku.

Dr Greg Okoro strives to keep that tradition alive. No gift is too small. A widow's mite, might save a life.