‘200 Primary healthcare centres in 100days’-Gov. Otti scores major milestone in Abia health sector
By Chukwu Elvis
The focus by the administration of Dr. Alex to turn every sector in Abia around remains resolute and unflinching and the records of achievements keep mounting confounding the naysayers and doubters who continue to live in the past when nothing good ever came out Abia. That narrative is changing fast and the mind set of forward thinkers now embrace the wonder that the state has become under the visionary leadership of Gov. Otti.
Following inauguration and an unwavering determination to bring back to life the moribund health sector in Abia, the current administration is on track in evolving a health sector that serves Abians at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels with qualitative diagnosis and treatment never before experienced when previous administrations held sway.
This administration has scored many points in the health sector. The Amachara General hospital in Umuahia which experienced unprecedented neglect leading to heartbreaking dilapidation has been fully revived. The Abia Specialist Hospital and Diagnostic Centre in Umuahia received immediate attention when governor Otti came into office; restoring moribund equipment and facilities to the delight of all.
A specialist eye clinic was also added to the ASHDC to boost its overall utility to Abians in a quest to ensure that the people enjoy the most benefit from a government determined to provide them the best healthcare because this administration fully understands that health is wealth.
Another milestone is in the kitty for the adminstration of Dr. Alex Otti in the health sector – the restoration of academic accreditation for the state owned university teaching hospital which was lost owing to the carelessness of the previous administration in failing to do the right things at the right time because they never really cared about the People!
In retrospect, it beats every sense of reason that a tertiary healthcare institution such as ABSUTH charged with the responsibility of training medical doctors could loose accreditation under the watch of an administration and none was moved to act to remedy the situation until Dr. Alex Chioma Otti came into office and made restoring accreditation a priority. Of course, Governor Otti in his dogged determination literally moved mountains to ensure accreditation was restored.
Numerous free medical interventions have been recorded to the credit of the current administration in reaching Abians at local communities and in cities. Thousands have benefited from these provisions which ran continuously for over seven months in eye care, surgeries for various ailments, diagnosis and interventions in picking up heavy medical bills by the government, too much for many patients to bear. This list definitely can not be exhaustive in reeling out all that this administration has achieved in the health sector since coming to office.
This administration is now set to completely transform the health sector at the primary care level hence the commencement of “Project Ekwueme” – the remodeling and retrofitting of “200 primary healthcare care centers in 100days”. This bold step to transform health care services to Abians across all communities aims to revive all Primary healthcare centres – PHCs – with up to date equipment and facilities necessary at that level and to retrain health workers for an upgrade in healthcare delivery.
At the flag off of “Project Ekwueme” which took place at the Ngwu primary healthcare centre in Ozuakoli Bende local government area, Governor Otti identified health care as the foundation of everything noting that public confidence has returned in government healthcare facilities because of his administrations attainments in this critical sector.
Specifically, the primary healthcare centres will be equipped with independent solar powered energy sources, efficient water supply system and other healthcare delivery infrastructural support systems. This is to ensure long term durability with a post construction maintenance plan which will cover a five year period.
The remodelling of the 200 hundred primary healthcare facilities across the state is domiciled within the state ministry of health under the direct supervision of the commissioner for health Prof. Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche who has taken things on hand and is committed to the vision of the Governor. Before now, such a project would have been seen as an opportunity to ‘settle the boys’ and completely politicised through the award of fictitious contracts never to be executed,frittering away scarce public funds into private pockets.
But not under the watch of the eagle eyed Gov. Otti who pays attention to every detail insisting that the best procurement process be adhered to in executing this project in rejuvenating the health care sector which was at a comatose state prior to his coming to office. Indeed Gov. Otti pays attention to every detail in all projects being executed under his administration.
Project Ekwueme will gulp over 10 billion naira steaming from the allocation of 15 percent of the 2024 and 2025 Abia state budget to the health sector in line with the Abuja declaration. This sets’ a national record. Though some have argued that this is a whooping sum but under Dr. Alex Otti’s government it will definitely be money well spent to the glory of God and the benefit of humanity in Abia state.
With a delivery date of February 2025, the race is on however not compromising quality but in fulfilling a burning desire to quickly turn around the health sector in Abia. All effort is placed on the card to ensure the target is attained.
Benefiting communities through their various town unions have been called upon to own ‘Project Ekwueme’ by participating in it’s supervision through the reconstruction process to ensure qualitative and timely delivery. This indeed has become the mantra of the governor in executing all projects in the state acknowledging that benefiting communities must be involved in the execution process of these projects.
This speaks to the person of Dr. Alex Otti in his altruistic nature insisting that benefitiaries of any project must be fully involved in it’s execution process seeing that the utility value of the project on completion will come to them. An excellent team of professionals are in place to actualise all “Project Ekwueme” key objectives alongside project evaluation and monitoring by community groups.
The drive for a new Abia is on full steam in all sectors highlighting the outstanding capacity of the governor to deliver on promises made to Abians for a better tomorrow. Under the watch of the ‘performing governor’, tomorrow is now here with us today.
Abias’ health sector and healthcare delivery is on transformation under the watch of Dr Alex Chioma Otti in the New Abia and it will on get better in coming days, weeks, months and years.
Kudos to Chioma Abia.
Chukwu Elvis, public Affairs Commentator