Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti has officially flagged off the reconstruction and remodeling of 200 Primary Healthcare Centers (PHC) across the State.
The initiative, codenamed “Project Ekwueme,” aims at rebuilding and functionalizing 200 PHC’s across the State’s 184 Wards within 100 days as well as significantly improve access to quality healthcare, particularly in rural Communities.
Speaking at the event held at the Primary Health Centre, Ngwu Uzuakoli, Bende Local Government Area, Governor Otti reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to quality healthcare as the foundation for sustainable development.
The Governor said that the initiative would among other things, reduce the people’s exposure to quacks and fake drugs and effectively improve good health and longevity for the general populace.
“This initiative has been tagged “Project Ekwueme” by our team at the State Ministry of Health because it practically speaks to our commitment to fulfilling the key promises we made to change the healthcare delivery landscape in the State for the better“, the Governor highlighted.
He further noted that the “Project Ekwueme” initiative would feature Independent Power Supply from Renewable Energy sources, efficient Water Supply System, and other State of the art support infrastructure to improve the operational environment, preserve drug supplies and medical consumables, which would ultimately save cost for the Government and its partners.
He assured that only high-quality materials would be used for the construction process, adding that contractors would provide post-construction maintenance at the Facilities for at least Five years.
“We shall not tolerate any form of mediocrity as every contractor would be required to provide post-delivery infrastructure maintenance services at the facilities for at least five years”, Gov Otti said.
Governor Otti who used the opportunity to highlight his administration’s strides in the Health sector over the past 20 months, emphasized that an effective healthcare delivery system in all parts of the State is central to his governance agenda which he said, is focused on improving the social and economic realities of the people.
“We appreciate that our pursuit of social prosperity will come to nothing if access to quality health services is not guaranteed for every demographic group scattered across over 500 urban and rural communities in the State.
“This awareness explains the decision of the present administration to prioritise the revitalisation of the healthcare delivery architecture in all parts of the State“,Otti stated.
He said that his Government has committed greater resources to the training of new professionals as captured in the 2025 Appropriation Act where the princely sum of N8.6 billion has been earmarked for the construction of the permanent site of the Abia State College of Health Science and Management Technology Aba..
“We have also made a N5 billion provision for construction projects at the new College of Nursing Sciences at the Umunneato General Hospital while another N3 billion will go into the construction of classroom blocks at the School of Nursing and Midwifery Amachara“, the Governor disclosed.
He therefore called on Abians to support the State Government’s efforts by paying their taxes, protecting public infrastructure, and reporting any activities that threaten public peace and security and pointed out that his Government remains committed to serving and working for the collective good of all residents of the State.
In his speech, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Enoch Uche, emphasized that the primary objective of the Government for embarking on the project focuses on bringing Healthcare closer to the people and described the project as an intervention and avenue for delivering democracy dividend to the people.
“This project with a whooping cost of N10,784,805,066.70 covers sites that are identifiable when you move around Abia.Clearly making the state a healthcare construction site,” Uche said.
In a remark, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Mrs Ngozi Azodo, said that the ”Project Ekwueme” had been designed to have three phases which include ‘200 PHCs in 100 days, the proof of concept for Abia Medical City, and the transitioning to the College of Medicine.
In their separate speeches, the Lawmaker representing Bende South Constituency, Mr Emmanuel Ndubuisi and the Chairman of Bende LGA, Mr Uwabunkeonye Bassey, thanked the government for the project and pointed out that the initiative would improve access to quality healthcare services in addition to reducing mortality rate in the area.
Also,the President of Uzuakoli Development Association, Mr Prince Okechukwu, appealed to the State Government to intervene in the constant destruction of crops and farm produce by cattle herders in the area, evolve programmes and policies that boost agricultural productivity as well as rehabilitate the rural roads in the community to enable the farmers access their farmlands with ease.
Earlier, the Health Officer in Charge of Ngwu PHC, Mrs Ihuoma Kalu, who recalled the State of despair of the Ngwu PHC, described the Project Ekwueme as a dream come true and thanked the Governor for changing the ugly narrative.
