Abia Governor Alex Otti inaugurates Alaukwu Ward Primary Health Centre in Isiala Ngwa South as part of Project Ekwueme to expand access to quality healthcare

Governor Alex Otti on Wednesday inaugurated the Alaukwu Ward Primary Health Centre in Umuagu, Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area of Abia State, marking the commencement of the functionalisation of primary healthcare centres under the administration’s “Project Ekwueme” initiative.

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The governor said the retrofitting of primary healthcare facilities across the state was designed to bring quality healthcare services closer to communities.

Represented at the event by the Commissioner for Health, Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, the governor said the upgraded centres were fully equipped to meet the healthcare needs of residents and could compete with modern facilities in developed countries.

“We are bringing healthcare to the people. If you enter this primary health centre, you will see equipment that is similar to what you have in London. If you enter the labour room, you will see the same facilities you would in any well-equipped teaching hospital,” he said.

According to him, the state government has sustained a 15 per cent budgetary allocation to the health sector, which he described as consistent with the benchmark recommended by the United Nations for healthcare spending.

Otti also disclosed that the government plans to deploy one medical doctor to each of the state’s 17 local government areas to supervise operations at primary healthcare centres.

The governor urged community members to take ownership of the facility and protect public infrastructure from vandalism.

The lawmaker representing Isiala Ngwa South State Constituency in the Abia State House of Assembly, Dennis Chinwendu, commended the governor for delivering the project and assured that residents would safeguard the facility.

Also speaking, the Director-General of the Abia State Debt Management Office, Kingsley Nwaigburu, praised the governor for ongoing developmental projects in the state and called for continued public support for the administration.

The Mayor of Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area, represented by Deputy Mayor Vivian Obilor, also applauded the renovation of the centre and encouraged residents to make effective use of the facility.

Similarly, the Health Administration Secretary for the local government, Nkechi Chima, advised residents to avoid unqualified medical practitioners and instead patronise the upgraded healthcare facilities.

In a vote of thanks, the chairman of the Labour Party in Isiala Ngwa South urged residents to participate in the ongoing voter registration exercise while supporting the government’s development initiatives.

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The inauguration forms part of broader efforts by the Abia State government to strengthen primary healthcare delivery and expand access to quality medical services at the grassroots level.