THE efforts of Imo State government towards improved healthcare delivery has suffered a setback, following the razing down by fire, of a building at the General Hospital, Umuokanne in Ohaji/Egbema local government area of the state.

Vanguard investigations revealed that the fire, which reportedly started at about four o'clock in the evening of the New Year day, was sadly caused by youths suspected to be hunting for rodents around the grassy premises of the General Hospital.

It was further gathered that the villagers of Umuobogwo, Umuokanne, where the Hospital is located, had no information about the ugly incident till about 7.30pm partly because the youths kept the news to themselves and the distance of the medical institution to the populace.

Our Correspondent, who went to the scene of the fire incident, was stunned that no staff of the Hospital, including the security men employed to guard the establishment, was around to explain what happened during the visit.

Vanguard recalls that the state government had at various times in the past, expressed regret that the hospital had periodically faced vandalization and non-residence of the staff is because of its distance from the village and villagers.