Precious Nwonu, Enugu

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has called for stronger collaboration between the state government, federal tertiary hospitals and other medical institutions to improve healthcare delivery and advance the proposed Abia Medical City.

Otti made the call while addressing the 115th quarterly meeting of the Committee of Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors of Federal Tertiary Hospitals in Nigeria.

The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Ikechukwu Emetu, described healthcare as a key driver of human development and economic growth.

He said his administration had demonstrated its commitment to the sector by allocating 15 per cent of the state’s 2026 budget to healthcare.

According to him, the government has also recruited hundreds of healthcare professionals and commenced the rehabilitation of primary healthcare centres across the state through Project EQUIP and other interventions.

Otti said the proposed Abia Medical City was designed to go beyond conventional hospital services, describing it as an integrated healthcare ecosystem that would bring together specialised medical services, research, diagnostics, pharmaceutical manufacturing, medical technology and other related services.

He therefore urged medical institutions and other stakeholders to partner with the state government to turn the vision into reality.

The governor said such partnerships would help strengthen the state’s healthcare system while creating opportunities for innovation, investment and improved access to specialised medical services.

Also speaking, the Secretary to the Abia State Government, Dr Emmanuel Meribole, commended the administration for what he described as progress in the health sector.

Meribole also highlighted the increasing collaboration between the state government and the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia.

The Chairman of the Committee of Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors of Federal Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria and Chief Medical Director of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Prof. Sa’ad Ahmed, expressed appreciation for the cooperation between the state government and the health institutions in Abia.

Meanwhile, the Chief Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, Prof. Azubuike Onyebuchi, disclosed that the state government was constructing a 20-room VIP ward at the medical centre.

The development is part of the ongoing efforts to improve healthcare infrastructure and strengthen medical services in the state.