Abia State Governor Alex Otti has initiated a massive N10.78 billion project to renovate and update 200 primary healthcare centres (PHCs) throughout the state. The project is expected to be finished in 100 days.
During his remarks at the ceremony held Monday at Ngwu Primary Healthcare Centre in Uzuakoli, Bende Local Government Area, Otti underlined that creating an efficient healthcare system in Abia remained at the forefront of his governance agenda.
“The project would be executed within 100 days, and the government would renovate and provide operational infrastructure to the selected 200 PHCs,” he said.
Otti said the program, called “Project Ekwueme,” would be implemented in all of the state’s Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) to expand access to high-quality healthcare, especially in rural areas.
Resolving Issues With Access To Healthcare
- The governor added that the program would effectively increase people’s longevity and health while lowering exposure to quacks and counterfeit medications.
- He added that the facilities would include an effective water supply system, a separate power supply from renewable energy sources, and other auxiliary equipment.
- He claimed doing so would enhance the working atmosphere, protect pharmaceutical supplies and medical equipment, and save expenses.
“We are committed to using high-quality and durable materials at every stage of the construction process because this is our own. We will not tolerate any form of mediocrity, and every contractor will be required to provide post-delivery infrastructure maintenance services for at least five years.
“Community leaders and other stakeholder groups are encouraged to be part of the project monitoring and evaluation efforts. All acts of sabotage or attempts to steal from the facilities will attract severe consequences by the government, with the cooperation of our people,” the governor added.
He said that security organizations had been ordered to monitor activity at all 200 project locations and employ all legal means to stop any attempts to jeopardize our initiative.
Working Together To Reform The Health Industry
- Otti reaffirmed that the administration was ready to accept fruitful collaborations to address the numerous health risks facing the state’s diverse populations.
- He added that healthcare workers would have access to training programs that would provide them with up-to-date knowledge on the newest developments in their fields of expertise.
Making Healthcare A Top Priority For Socioeconomic Development
Otti reaffirmed the State Government’s resolve to make the health sector’s transformation the top priority to enhance the socioeconomic circumstances of its constituents.
Prof. Enoch Uche, the Health Commissioner, explained in a speech that the “project 200 PHCs in 100 days” is a means of bringing about the rewards of democracy.
“This project, with a whopping cost of N10.78 billion, covers sites that are easily identifiable when you move around Abia, clearly making the state a healthcare construction site,” Uche explained.
He said the project would help achieve the third Sustainable Development Goal’s main purpose.
He asserts that the government’s main objective in starting the project is to make healthcare more accessible to the general public.
Mrs. Ngozi Azodo, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, clarified in her remarks that “Project Ekwueme” was intended to be divided into three stages.
“Project Ekwueme has three components: ‘200 Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs) in 100 days,’ the proof of concept for Abia Medical City, and the transition to the college of medicine.”
“For the ‘200 Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs) in 100 days’ initiative, we have several phases, including remodeling, equipping, and, of course, human resources for health,” Azodo stated.
She further mentioned that the scheme would provide operational primary healthcare centers in each state’s political ward.