Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has approved a comprehensive upgrade of the Abia Specialist Hospital in Umuahia and the Amachara General Hospital.
The goal is to transform these facilities into world-class medical centers.
The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, announced this development during a press briefing after the Executive Council meeting this week.
He said the upgrade aligns with Governor Otti’s commitment to providing quality healthcare for the residents of Abia.
“The purpose of this upgrade is to enable these healthcare facilities to offer an expanded scope of high-quality medical care in special areas like internal medicine, cardiology, neurology, surgical services, and brain and spine surgeries,” Kanu explained.
He added that Governor Otti had not only approved the necessary funds for the project but also set a timeline of 13 to 15 weeks for its completion. “Approval has also been granted for the upgrade of the Diagnostic Center to offer all types of diagnostic and surgery services,” Kanu stated.
The Commissioner emphasized that Governor Otti aims to make Abia the health tourism hub of Nigeria by improving the facilities at state hospitals.
Commissioner for Health, Professor Enoch Uche, echoed these sentiments, stating, “The complete overhaul of the Abia Specialist Hospital and Amachara General Hospital is designed to elevate these health institutions to centers of excellence in various medical specialties.”
Professor Uche revealed that the upgrade would introduce new, state-of-the-art equipment and services, improving the existing facilities. He also mentioned that the state government has approved funds to recruit “high-caliber specialists across various medical fields to ensure that Abia people receive the best in terms of quality healthcare services.”
“In the coming days and weeks, some of these upgrades and new services will start to take shape,” he added.
When asked about the state’s plan to build a medical village, Kanu clarified that the hospital upgrades would not replace the proposed medical village but would provide advanced medical services in the meantime.
In other developments, the Commissioner for Information also announced the approval of the Abia Integrated Water Sanitation and Hygiene Accelerated Programme. This program includes upgrading water facilities and installing 10 solar-powered sanitation facilities across the state’s three senatorial zones.
Kanu also revealed that Governor Otti would flag off the 41.4-kilometer Arochukwu-Ohafia Federal Road project on Wednesday. “This project is aimed at providing comfort and convenience to Abians on all the roads in the state,” he said, noting that this fulfills one of Otti’s campaign promises.
Regarding the upcoming 33rd anniversary of Abia State, Kanu said there would be no ceremonies this year. Instead, the focus would be on reflecting on the state’s progress so far. He urged Abians to think about the achievements that have been made.
Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities, Mr. Ikechukwu Monday, provided more details on the Abia Integrated Water Sanitation and Hygiene Accelerated Programme. He explained that the initiative is a coordinated, three-phase program to retrofit existing boreholes with solar-powered systems, especially in rural areas, to ensure a consistent water supply.
“When we took office, we found that none of the 58 core water facilities in the state was producing even a liter of water,” Monday said. “We plan to convert these boreholes to solar power so that people can have access to water without being affected by power issues, and we also want to integrate water treatment based on water analysis.”
In response to a question about salary arrears for health workers, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma, said that payments would begin soon. He noted that the previous administrations owed a total of N19.2 billion in salary arrears, but Governor Otti has directed that these arrears be paid in installments starting from August.
