Abia State governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has placed not less than 4,700 pensioners on free medical treatment in both the primary and secondary health facilities across the state, under the state’s Health Insurance Sheme.
This is as he directed immediate restoration of power supplies to all government offices and facilities in the state.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ngozi Okoronkwo, disclosed this on Wednesday.
Those so far enrolled are pensioners, who, prior to retirement from the civil service, were not above the level of Deputy Director.
Governor Otti, who was briefed by the Commissioner on the activities of her ministry in the past week, decried a situation where government offices and facilities were left without electricity.
"If there are bills to be paid, we'll pay them and get the facilities reconnected. We cannot afford to have government offices and facilities without electricity," the Governor stated.
Dr. Okoronkwo had briefed the Governor on the efforts her ministry had made in revamping certain health facilities in the state, especially the general hospitals at Amachara, Okpuala Ngwa, Umunnato and a cottage hospital in Aba.
According to the Commissioner, thieves had at different times taken advantage of lack of security and proper illumination in the various facilities to break into the hospitals and cart away equipment and other valuables meant to serve the health needs of the people.
She added, however, that she had reached out to some senior government functionaries, who assisted in raising security for some of the facilities, especially the General Hospital at Okpuala Ngwa.
The Governor, according to a statement from Kazie Uko, his chief press secretary, subsequently ordered the boosting of security, lighting up of the premises and proper perimeter fencing of the various hospitals to secure the facilities against unauthorised access.
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