Holy Rosary Specialist Hospital and Maternity, Waterside Onitsha, traces its origins to the mid-1930s when it was first established as a small dispensary by His Lordship, Most Rev. C. Hilary, the then Bishop of Onitsha. The mission was simple yet profound; to provide medical care to the sick, the poor, and the dying.
Recognizing the urgent need for improved maternal healthcare for Catholic women in the region, Bishop Hilary later invited four (4) Holy Rosary Sisters from Ireland. Together, they established a maternity unit with a special purpose: to reduce the hardships faced by Catholic women who had to travel long distances to Emekuku Catholic Maternity Hospital to deliver their babies. This initiative was aimed at safeguarding both the spiritual and physical well-being of expectant mothers.
Over the decades, the modest maternity unit expanded in scope, capacity, and services, evolving into what is now known as Holy Rosary Specialist Hospital and Maternity. Today, in addition to the main hospital, several outreach maternity units and mobile clinics are attached, extending compassionate and professional healthcare to communities far beyond the hospital’s immediate location.
