In a bid to improve the Abia state healthcare system and ensure uninterrupted power supply to government offices, the Governor, Dr Alex Otti has initiated a program that extends free medical services to 4,700 pensioners across the state.
Those so far enrolled in the state government’s free medical services to be made available at both primary and secondary health facilities as part of the Otti led administration’s Health Insurance Scheme are pensioners, who, prior to retirement from the civil service, were not above the level of Deputy Director.
The Governor who expressed concern that government facilities were left without electricity equally directed the immediate restoration of power supplies to all government offices and facilities in the state.
Governor Otti, who was briefed by the Commissioner for Health, Dr Ngozi Okoronkwo on the activities of her ministry in the past week, decried a situation where government offices and facilities were left without electricity and vowed to settle outstanding bills to restore power promptly.
“If there are bills to be paid, we’ll pay them and get the facilities reconnected. We cannot afford to have government offices and facilities without electricity,” the Governor stated.
He further ordered increased security measures, improved lighting, and proper perimeter fencing for governor government healthcare facilities across the state to ensure their safety and protect them from unauthorized access.
Earlier, Dr. Okoronkwo had briefed the Governor on the efforts made by her ministry in revamping certain health facilities in the state, especially the general hospitals at Amachara, Okpuala Ngwa, Umunnato and a cottage hospital in Aba.
According to the Commissioner, thieves had at different times taken advantage of lack of security and proper illumination in the various facilities to break into the hospitals and cart away equipment and other valuables meant to serve the health needs of the people.
She added, however, that she had reached out to some senior government functionaries, who assisted in raising security for some of the facilities, especially the General Hospital at Okpuala Ngwa.
