Dr. Alex Otti, governor of Abia State, has approved the comprehensive upgrade and retrofitting of Abia Specialist Hospital Umuahia; and Amachara General Hospital into a world -class medical facility.
Prince Okey Kanu, the commissioner for Information, who disclosed this while briefing news men on the outcome of this week’s Executive Council meeting, said the move was in pursuit of the Governor’s quest to provide Abia residents with quality health care.
Kanu added that the essence of the upgrade was to enable the healthcare facilities “offer expanded scope of high quality medicare in certain special areas including internal medicine, cardiology, neurology, surgical services, general brain and spine surgeries among others.”
The Commissioner added that the Governor who had also given approval for the release of funds for the project, also directed that the upgrade be done within 13 – 15 weeks.
”Approval has also been granted for the upgrade of the Diagnostic center to offer all cadres of Diagnostic and surgery services," he said.
He assured that Otti was desirous of converting Abia into the health tourism of Nigeria by upgrading facilities at the State hospitals.
Adding his voice, Commissioner for Health, Professor Enoch Uche, said “the complete overhaul of the Abia Specialist Hospital and Amachara General Hospital are designed to elevate the health institutions to centers of excellence in various medical specialties.”
The move, according to him, will not only improve the existing facilities but will also introduce new, state-of-the-art equipment and services.
Professor Uche further disclosed that the State Government had also approved funds for the recruitment of “high-caliber specialists across various medical fields to ensure that Abia people receive the best in terms of quality healthcare services.”
“In the succeeding days and weeks, some of these retrofitting and upgrade of services will become manifest.”
Responding to a question, the Commissioner explained that the upgrade of the hospitals would not stop the proposed building of a medical village in the state, but provide sophisticated medical services to residents in the interim.
Meanwhile, Kanu also said that the State Executive Council had approved the Abia Integrated Water Sanitation and Hygiene Accelerated Programme “which includes the upgrade of water facilities and water treatment.”
He added that the state government would install 10 solar-powered sanitation facilities across the three senatorial zones of the state.
On road project, Kanu disclosed that the Governor would on Wednesday, flag-off the 41.4 kilometre Arochukwu-Ohafia Federal road.
This, according to him is aimed at providing comfort and convenience to Abians on all the roads in the state.
He also said it was in fulfillment of Otti’s campaign promises to the people of the state, arguing that even though it is a federal road, majority of the road users are Abians.
On the 33rd anniversary of Abia State, the Commissioner said that the event would not be marked with any ceremonies unlike the previous years, but rather in retrospect of the journey so far.
He said that the Governor and his team would be at work, and urged Abians to reflect on the achievements recorded so far.
Contributing, Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities, Mr Ikechukwu Monday, disclosed that the state had also embarked on Abia Integrated Water Sanitation and Hygiene Accelerated Programme initiatives to address water supply issues, which are critical to public health.
According to him, the initiative conceived as a coordinated, three-phase program
will see existing boreholes retrofitted with solar-powered systems, particularly in rural areas, to ensure consistent water supply without reliance on the power grid.
“When we took office, we assessed all the water facilities in the state and found that none of the 58 core water facilities was producing even a liter of water”
“What we intend to do is, using the existing boreholes, change them to solar power , especially in our rural areas so that people can have assess to water without the issue of power being a constraint and we also want to integrate water treatment based on the water analysis.”
Responding to a question, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma, said that health workers and some agencies and institutions, who were owed accumulated salary arrears would begin to receive payment very soon.
He said that a total of N19.2 billion was owed as salary arrears by the previous administrations but added that Governor Otti had directed that the arrears be defrayed in instalments starting from August.
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