The Abia State Government has said it will continue to improve medical services, especially kidney transplant services, through partnership with experts, training and sharing of medical knowledge.
The Commissioner for Health, Prof. Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, stated this when he met with a team of medical experts led by Prof. Rashid Abiodun Dogon, a well-known kidney specialist and expert in apheresis.
Prof. Uche described Abia’s kidney transplant programme as one of the leading programmes in the Southeast. He praised the doctors and other medical workers for their hard work and teamwork. He said a successful kidney transplant programme needs skilled doctors, good teamwork, regular training and strong support from the government and health institutions.
The Commissioner also said Governor Alex Chioma Otti’s administration is serious about improving healthcare in Abia. He noted that the state government has continued to give 15 percent of its yearly budget to the health sector, which he said is helping to improve healthcare services and make quality treatment more available to the people.
Earlier, the Chief Medical Director of Abia Specialist Hospital and Diagnostic Centre, Dr. Chimezie Okwuonu, said Prof. Dogon visited the state to help strengthen the kidney transplant programme at the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia.
Dr. Okwuonu explained that the Centre has been working with the University of Virginia for the past six years to improve kidney transplant services. He said the partnership focuses on training medical workers, sharing knowledge and learning from experts abroad. He added that some medical workers from the Centre have visited Virginia as part of the programme.
Prof. Dogon praised the changes taking place in Abia, saying the improvements are clear and can be seen. He also praised Governor Otti for his leadership and for giving qualified professionals the opportunity to serve.
He thanked the Abia State Government for supporting the kidney transplant programme at the Federal Medical Centre and promised to continue supporting the development of specialised medical services in the state.
In his vote of thanks, Dr. Erondu thanked the Commissioner and the Ministry of Health for their warm welcome. He also praised the state government for its efforts to improve healthcare and expressed hope that the partnership would bring more progress to the health sector in Abia.
