Abia State has emerged as one of Nigeria’s leading states in healthcare delivery, with the Federal Ministry of Health commending its performance in reducing maternal and infant mortality and expanding access to quality primary healthcare services.
The recognition was contained in the ministry’s latest Quarterly Performance Dialogue Report, which assesses health sector performance across the country and brings together federal health authorities, state commissioners for health and development partners to evaluate progress and strengthen service delivery.
The report also highlighted a sharp increase in health insurance coverage in the state, with enrolment rising from 40,000 beneficiaries in December 2024 to 225,581 as of July 2026.
Briefing journalists after the State Executive Council meeting in Umuahia on Monday, the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, attributed the achievement to the health sector reforms implemented by Governor Alex Otti’s administration.
According to him, the state's improved performance in maternal and child healthcare reflects the impact of sustained investments in health infrastructure and service delivery.
Kanu said the government’s flagship healthcare intervention, Project Ekwueme, is transforming primary healthcare across the state through the renovation and upgrading of 200 primary healthcare centres, in addition to 77 World Bank-supported facilities.
He disclosed that 139 centres have already been fully upgraded and are operational, while 50 are currently being equipped. Another 12 facilities are expected to become functional within the next two weeks.
The commissioner also said the state's Digital Health Project is improving access to healthcare and boosting public confidence in government-owned hospitals.
He revealed that more than 9,100 patients had been enrolled on the digital health platform across nine hospitals in the last three months, describing the figure as evidence of growing trust in the state's healthcare system.
Kanu further announced that work on the Obingwa General Hospital is nearing completion, with major rehabilitation works already concluded and additional structures constructed within the facility.
He said the hospital is being fitted with modern medical equipment, including digital health and telemedicine facilities, ahead of its planned commissioning.
On immunisation, the commissioner disclosed that Abia is leading a collaborative initiative involving Anambra, Delta and Akwa Ibom states to develop a digital vaccination tracking system for children.
The system, he explained, is designed to integrate immunisation records with other demographic data to improve healthcare planning, disease prevention and monitoring.
He also urged residents to maintain proper hygiene and food safety standards to guard against foodborne diseases and contamination of food and water.
Speaking on the state's healthcare achievements, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, said the positive assessment was based on independently verified data submitted through the Federal Ministry of Health's reporting platform.
He noted that Abia had recorded measurable improvements in neonatal healthcare, with neonatal mortality declining from nine to seven within the review period.
According to him, the progress demonstrates the benefits of strategic investments in healthcare infrastructure, personnel and technology.
Uche said the state has become a pace-setter in digital immunisation management, enabling health authorities to track children's vaccination histories electronically.
He explained that each child is assigned a unique identification code through which vaccination records can be accessed anywhere, making it easier to verify immunisation status during school enrolment and other official processes.
The commissioner added that the digital registry has been integrated with geospatial mapping technology to strengthen healthcare planning and improve the targeting of health interventions across the state.
He reiterated the need for residents to observe food safety measures, warning that poor hygiene practices remain a major cause of preventable illnesses such as diarrhoea, vomiting and other gastrointestinal infections.
The latest assessment by the Federal Ministry of Health adds to growing recognition of Abia’s healthcare reforms, which have focused on strengthening primary healthcare, expanding insurance coverage and leveraging technology to improve health outcomes.
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