Nigerian Government Applauds Governor Otti’s Efforts To Resolve Healthcare Issues In Abia

The Federal Government has commended Abia State Governor Dr. Alex Otti, for taking proactive steps to address lingering issues in the state’s healthcare system before taking office on May 29, 2023.

Dr. Salman Anas-Ibrahim, Special Adviser to the President on Health, who presented the award, stated that by declaring a state of emergency in the health sector and increasing health allocation in the 2024 Budget by 15%, as well as resolving salary disputes quickly, Governor Otti significantly alleviated challenges in the state’s healthcare system.

According to Kazie Uko, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Dr. Anas-Ibrahim spoke on Monday while leading a team from the Presidency to Governor Otti’s residence in Umuehim, Nvosi, Isialangwa South. The team is in Abia for an advocacy visit.

She advocated for collaboration between Abia and the Federal Government to accelerate Health Sector Transformation initiatives outlined in President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The Special Adviser to the President on Health stated that the Federal Government would assist Abia with the Presidential Acceleration Plan for Reducing Maternal Deaths, as well as other areas such as capacity building, resources, and advocacy.

In response to the senior presidential aide, Governor Otti thanked her for her visit and stated that Abia State had already aligned with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the health sector to improve access to quality healthcare in the state.

The Governor emphasised the shared objectives of Abia and the Federal Government, particularly in the area of health, and emphasised a mutual drive towards a common goal despite political differences.

“Thank you for your visit, which we greatly appreciate. We also want to take this opportunity to thank the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, his Excellency, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for sending you on this trip. I would like to thank him very much, and please convey our happiness and gratitude to him when you return.

“I will not take for granted your kind and generous words about our administration in Abia State. We sincerely appreciate you and your interest in the state’s development.

“There are 36 states, as you correctly noted. This is not an APC state, but given everything you have said about the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly in terms of health, I do not think it is an exaggeration to say that even though we are not in the same party, we are on the same page and working towards the same goal.

“Without fear of contradiction, I will say that based on everything you have said, we have already focused on this Renewed Hope Agenda; because, according to you, all of the areas that the Federal Government is interested in are also areas we are interested in in Abia,” Governor Otti told his guest.

The Governor, who recounted the deliberate steps taken by his administration upon assumption of office, said his government had addressed critical healthcare challenges in Abia, including; a robust budget for the healthcare delivery system, restoration of accreditation for the Abia State University Teaching Hospital and the College of Medicine of the University, which had been in disrepair during the previous government, as well as clearing salary arrears of the

“When we came in, we were very deliberate about what we were going to do. When we arrived, we discovered that our state’s tertiary health institution, the Abia State University Teaching Hospital, lacked accreditation and had not had it for the previous three years. “So, it was a significant challenge,” he explained.

Governor Otti outlined his government’s ongoing initiatives, which include the retrofitting of General Hospitals and Primary Healthcare Centres throughout the state, as well as the establishment of a Medical Village, which would serve as a comprehensive healthcare hub to reverse medical tourism and provide high-quality medical services within Abia State.

He emphasised the importance of addressing maternal and child mortality rates, stating that his government is committed to improving Abia’s healthcare needs.

“We are not where we want to be, but we have come a long way since our first meeting with the state. We are currently retrofitting primary health care centres, which number approximately 948 as of our last count.

“Fortunately, we won a price from the Governor’s Forum, which was funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; ‘The Leadership Challenge’, and the money from there was first deployed to the Primary Health Care Centres, and of course, we have a robust budget for the healthcare delivery system in Abia state.

“In the last eleven months, we have had to intervene at various levels just to ensure that people have better opportunities to live when they are challenged, and we will continue to push the boundaries in those areas so that we can move our people out of homelessness,” Governor Otti stated.

He affirmed his administration’s willingness to work with the federal government, adding that the state would support any initiative aimed at uplifting citizens and driving socioeconomic development.

The Governor was joined by the Deputy Governor, Engr Ikechukwu Emetu; the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Kenneth Kalu; the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ngozi Okoronkwo; the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Ngozi Azodoh; and other Senior aides to the Governor and heads of agencies in the Ministry of Health.