The Abia State Government says it will complete the renovation and equipping of at least 200 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) across the state before the end of this year, in a major push to expand access to quality healthcare.
Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, disclosed this on Monday while briefing journalists at the Government House, Umuahia, after the weekly State Executive Council meeting.
Kanu said 102 PHCs have already been completed, while work on the remaining 98 will be concluded before December. He added that over 50 of the 79 World Bank-supported Impact PHCs are also undergoing renovation and will be ready before year-end.
> “By December, we expect to have no fewer than 250 fully functional PHCs serving communities across Abia. This is in line with Governor Alex Otti’s vision of improving healthcare at the grassroots,” he said.
He noted that residents have begun to make use of the upgraded facilities, reflecting growing confidence in the administration’s health reforms.
Kanu further announced that the state is partnering with Swedish hospitals and other international health institutions to deliver a series of medical outreach programmes.
The outreach initiatives, which will run in phases, include:
ProHealth International Medical Outreach (November 16–22, 2025)
Abia Diaspora Medical Outreach (December 12–19, 2025)
AMPA Abia Medical Outreach (April 2026)
Abia–Swedish Global Health Outreach (May 2026)
To motivate healthcare workers, the commissioner said the state has approved the implementation of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) for local government health workers, making Abia one of the few states to adopt the federal pay scale.
He also announced that the recruitment portal for health professionals has been reopened, with vacancies for ophthalmologists, medical officers, dental officers, and consultants.
On secondary healthcare, Kanu said work is progressing on three new specialist hospitals, whose designs and facilities are being upgraded to meet world-class standards.
Governor Alex Otti, he added, has also ordered the immediate activation of the solar power project at the SDG Hospital, Ugwunagbo, to provide 24-hour electricity for patients and staff.
Providing further details, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, said about 500 newly recruited nurses are undergoing documentation and deployment.
He explained that the government conducted a verification of health workers before implementing CONHESS, ensuring fair and transparent salary adjustments.
Prof. Uche affirmed that the reforms aim to strengthen service delivery, improve staff welfare, and build confidence in public healthcare facilities across Abia State.
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