Members of the House of Representatives Committee on Healthcare Services have praised Abia State Governor Alex Otti for significant improvements in the state’s health sector.
The committee, led by Dr. Amos Magaji, visited Governor Otti’s office in Umuahia on Tuesday to assess the implementation of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund. The fund, which is designed to improve access to healthcare, has been under review in over 30 states across Nigeria. “We are here because of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund. We want to see if it is working as intended,” Magaji said.
During the visit, Magaji observed that Abia State’s achievements extend beyond healthcare. He highlighted progress in sanitation, road infrastructure, and power supply, noting that these sectors strengthen healthcare delivery. He also praised industrial developments, such as the Geometric Power project in Aba, which he said could transform both the state and the country economically.
The committee also commended Governor Otti for prioritizing maternal healthcare. Magaji noted that maternal mortality in Abia has decreased over the past decade, thanks to revitalized maternal health centres and strengthened specialist hospitals, including the Abia State University Teaching Hospital. He further acknowledged the state’s commitment to increasing healthcare funding, referencing the 2001 Abuja Declaration that recommends allocating at least 15 per cent of annual budgets to health.
Governor Otti, in response, emphasized that healthcare is a critical social infrastructure that requires urgent attention and investment in both facilities and skilled personnel. “Healthcare is like roads; we must ensure primary healthcare centres can provide 100 per cent survival chances,” he said. He added that functional hospitals require qualified staff, explaining that some newly built centres remain underutilized due to staffing gaps.
The governor disclosed efforts to attract medical professionals from abroad, including doctors from the United States and South Africa, and highlighted the recent recruitment of a neurosurgeon from New York. He stressed that creating a safe and conducive environment is key to retaining skilled healthcare workers.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Abia State House Committee on Health, Hon. Emeka Obioma, and the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, introduced the visiting lawmakers and highlighted the administration’s healthcare achievements.
Governor Otti reaffirmed his commitment to sustaining and improving healthcare delivery, promising that the state would continue to invest in people, infrastructure, and services to ensure accessible, quality healthcare for all residents.
Health
South Carolina Measles Cases Surge to 789, Surpassing Texas Outbreak
South Carolina has reported 789 measles cases as of Tuesday, overtaking Texas’s 2025 outbreak total and marking the largest state-level outbreak in the United States this year.