The walls are up. The wards are ready. The ambulance is on its way. $62,000 stands between the people of Kogi State and a fully operational mission hospital
From Bare Land to Mission Hospital
Three years of foundations, walls, gates, and faith captured on the ground in Lokoja.
What began as a bare plot of land is now a finished hospital.
Built by Nigerian construction teams. Made possible by parishioners across the United States. Watched over by the Diocese of Lokoja. This is what Parish2Parish reciprocity looks like in stone and steel.
The hands the built this hospital are local hands.
What you can’t see in architectural renderings: the local builders, craftsmen, and parish leaders who shaped every wall, hung every door, and will run, sustain, and bless this hospital long after the equipment containers arrive.
This is not a hospital being given to Lokoja. It is a hospital being built with Lokoja through the labor of Nigerian construction teams, the stewardship of the Diocese of Lokoja, and the prayers and material support of parishes across the United States. Both sides have given. Both sides have received.
Two trailers loaded. Ambulance shipped. Supplies in storage. We are this close!
$62,000 closes the gap. Procuring the remaining diagnostic tools + shipping and clearing the final two 40ft containers. Three years ago, this hospital existed only as architectural renderings. Today, it exists!
In North Central Nigeria, 66 infants and 100 children under five die for every 1,000 births. While these numbers are slightly below the national average, they reveal a heartbreaking reality. Access to pediatric healthcare remains deeply limited. In Kogi State, only one health institution offers specialized care for children, leaving countless families without help when they need it most.
Kogi State, located in North Central Nigeria has a population of over 3.5 million people. The main occupation of the state is agriculture; cultivating cash and food crops. The healthcare system is plagued with the same problems as those at the national level. As of 2008, there were 1029 (1 tertiary, 50 secondary, 833 public primary and 246 private) healthcare facilities (81% are primary healthcare facilities) which are in a state of disrepair and underfunded. Eighty percent (80%) of the primary healthcare facilities are health posts that only offer out-patient services and no maternal health services. There exists a shortage of medical personnel with a ratio of 1 doctor to 59,697 patients. This ratio is below the national average of 1 doctor to 25,641 patients.
A LETTER FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Dear Friends and Compassionate Supporters,
Because of your extraordinary generosity, we have reached a milestone once thought impossible: the construction of our mission hospital in the Kogi State of Nigeria is complete. We have laid the foundation and raised the walls. Now, we stand at the threshold of the most critical phase—transforming this building into a functioning sanctuary of healing.
The Finish Line is in Sight. We are closer than ever. Currently, we have two trailers filled with essential medical equipment and supplies ready to be loaded into 40ft containers. We have already successfully shipped the hospital’s ambulance, and the majority of the medical supplies needed to begin operations are secured in storage.
To open our doors by the end of this year, we must raise $62,000 to bridge the final gap. This funding will allow us to procure the remaining high-impact diagnostic tools and cover the logistics of shipping and clearing these two final containers.
Your support today will specifically fund the “heart” of our medical services—the equipment that makes the difference between a guess and a life-saving diagnosis:
• Imaging Suite: X-ray, Ultrasound, and Mammography machines.
• Laboratory Diagnostics: Hematology and Chemistry analyzers to treat and track disease.
• Surgical Safety: Essential Anesthesia machines, surgical and delivery tables for our operating rooms.
Why Lokoja? A Strategic Gateway to Health. Located in Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State, our facility sits at a unique geographic crossroads. Kogi is the only state in Nigeria bordering ten others. This central position makes our hospital a vital lifeline not just for the local community, but for the millions of residents across the region who currently lack access to specialized care.
Every day we wait is a day a mother in a rural village might go without a safe delivery, or a child might suffer from a treatable illness.
• A Lifeline for the Vulnerable: We are dedicated to reducing the high mortality rates among mothers and children in the region.
• Proven Stewardship: We have the logistical expertise to ensure your donation is used effectively, having successfully coordinated similar 40ft container shipments to mission hospitals in Burkina Faso.
• A Promise Fulfilled: With your help, we will meet our goal of making this 40-bed hospital fully operational by the end of 2026.
How You Can Help
• Donate Online
• Mail a Check: Payable to IMF Missions, PO Box 81849, Lincoln, NE 68501
Imagine the first patient walking through these doors, knowing their life was saved because you helped us provide the tools our doctors need. Together, we can transform this structure of brick and mortar into a sanctuary of life.
With heartfelt gratitude and blessings,
Joseph Williams
Executive Director
International Missionary Foundation
Beyond Completion (Stretch Goals)
With additional support, we can enhance this space to be not only functional but beautiful and secure for generations to come.
