Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti has pledged to ensure that his administration delivers essential facilities and infrastructure to support the upcoming accreditation of the Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba.
Recall that the Teaching Hospital faced severe challenges, including poor workers’ welfare conditions and regulatory deficiencies which led to the National Universities Commission (NUC) revoking the institution’s accreditation for medicine and surgery in 2022.
However, Governor Otti, during a meeting with the Executive Members of the NMA on Thursday, reassured of the government’s commitment to collaborate with the Association to address challenges facing the Institution to ensure that graduates from the institution receive comprehensive training, which would enable them to compete effectively on a global scale.
The Governor recalled the earlier warning he had issued in 2022, about the impending deaccreditation of the institution which the previous administration had disregarded, leading to its subsequent loss of accreditation and assured that every effort would be made to rectify the institution’s issues.
“We will partner with you to address all challenges facing the Institution and tidy them up before the visitation panel comes for accreditation.
“We will do everything possible to support you for the place to function properly”, Otti said.
He described payment of salary as the basic responsibility of government and reaffirmed that his administration is dedicated to implementing worker-friendly policies and welfare packages, aimed at curbing brain drain prevalent among medical Doctors across Nigeria.
Governor Otti stressed that the present administration under his leadership is prioritizing healthcare needs of the citizens with the ongoing upgrades to three out of fifteen General Hospitals and selected Health Centers among the 192 Health centres in the 17 LGAs, in addition to collaboration with international healthcare agencies to standardize healthcare services in the state.
While noting the ongoing efforts by his administration to optimize health facilities in the state, Governor Otti announced that the upgraded eye clinic in Umuahia would be reopened soon.
The Governor commended the NMA for its planned free medical outreach in Isiala Ngwa South LGA, which he said complements the state’s ongoing free medical missions across the three senatorial zones of the state.
The Governor who acknowledged the NMA’s crucial role in the health sector, pledged to support the Association in its forthcoming Physicians Week hosted by Abia state between 22nd to 28th October 2023.
In an address, the state Chairman of NMA Dr Isaiah Abali thanked the Governor for regularizing salaries of Medical Doctors in addition to abolishing the dichotomy of core and non-core civil servants and noted that the pace of development in every facet of the state within a short while in office are testament of a leader on a mission to rescue Abia from total collapse.
He used the forum to invite the Governor as the Special Guest of honour and in hosting the 2023 National Physician’s Week taking place in the state between 22nd to 28th October this year, adding that the Association will hold a free medical outreach in Isiala Ngwa south LGA as part of activities marking the event.
The State NMA Chairman noted that the health sector has suffered lots of neglect in the past and appealed to the Governor to approve a more recent CONMESS salary structure for Abia Medical Doctors to combat the brain drain syndrome affecting the health sector nationwide.
