Abia State Governor,Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has vowed to sustain the initiatives of his administration in the healthcare sector aimed at reducing mortality and enhancing life expectancy of its citizens.
Governor Ikpeazu stated this while flagging off the distribution of high technology Medical equipments from PROJECT CURE, to select hospitals and healthcare center across the 17 local government areas of the state.
Some of the High Technology Medical Equipments from the PROJECT CURE Initiative under the auspices of the Abia State Diaspora Commission in partnership with the state Government include; Patient Monitors, Hospital Beds and Mattresses, General consumables, Wheelchairs and Examination couches.
Others are, Delivery tables and Exercising Devices for Physio Therapy and Operation tables. Oxygen cylinders, theatre lights, CT Scans, Office chairs and trollies,baby couches,vital signs monitors among other equipments.
Speaking at the ceremony held at the office of the wife of the Governor, Ikpeazu noted that the initiative is as a result of collaboration with Abia State government and donor agencies and Institutions outside Nigeria aimed at supporting the state’s healthcare delivery programme.
Ikpeazu stated that the introduction of the medical equipments would go a long way towards enhancing unprecedented change in the entire medical landscape of Abia and expressed optimism that the efforts of his adminstration in the healthcare sector would ensure improvement in the life expectancy of the citizens to 70 years.
“It is the intention of this government that these efforts will trickle down to the grassroot. Our intention is to improve life expectancy of Abians and we have carefully crafted a pathway that can enable us achieve it.
“Whatever that we have been doing that has reduced infant and maternal mortality by 71% is worthy of note and should be continued. Whatever we have been doing that has improved enrollment and visitation of pregnant women to our primary healthcare center should be continued. Whatever we have been doing that has improved our immunization spread by 98% should be improved until it gets to 100%”, Ikpeazu said.
The Governor further assured that his administration would not relent in it’s efforts towards ensuring efficient and healthcare delivery in Abia and disclosed that the Mother and Child Hospital Ugwunagbo as well as the Pediatric Specialist Hospital along Bende Road would soon be commissioned adding that the Aba General Hospital would equally be rejuvenated.
The Governor called on Abians to utilize the various health initiatives of the government aimed at deepening the healthcare sector and making it accessible to every citizen,
He however warned healthcare providers to deploy the equipments for the purpose it was meant adding that proper inventory should be taken to ensure that they are not stolen.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joe Osuji said assured that the equipments would be deployed to improve lives.
In her speech, the Executive Secretary, Abia State Diaspora Commission, Dr. Ngozi Erondu disclosed that the medical equipment came in 4 containers and each of the containers have equipments worth four hundred thousand (400, 000) Dollars.
She explained that the initiation of the relationship with PROJECT CURE by the Governor Ikpeazu in 2018 made it possible for Abia to have the medical equipments and appreciated the Governor for his commitment and huge sum of money put in ensuring the shipment of the medical items.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary, Abia State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Chinagozi Adindu noted that various interventions of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has to a great extent improved universal health coverage in all nooks and crannies of the state while adding that the intervention will help reduce morbidity and mortality rates in the state.
Wife of the Governor, Dr. Mrs Nkechi Ikpeazu, Wife of the Deputy Governor, Lady Vivian Oko chukwu, members of the State Executive Council including the Commissioner for Information, Barr Eze Chikamnayo and professionals from the health care sector were present during the flag off ceremony.
