Sam Obinna Ibe/ Umuahia
Abia State Governor, Alex Chioma Otti has recorded a milestone by reopening for use the renovated and reequipped Abia State Specialist Hospital Aba road and the Amachara General Hospital Umuahia first opened in 1932 but was in decay and allowed to deteriorate.
In his speech at the event, Abia Governor noted with concern how the Amachara General Hospital which was first opened in 1932 was in decay and allowed to delapidate.
He added that his government was determined to retrofit it and has rehablitated it to make it more fit for human use.
According to Abia Governor” a healthy population is the greatest asset to any society, adding that his administration has demonstrated commitment by doing everything to ensure that the strategic health facilities are brought back to life.”
Dr Otti who stated that government invested huge sums of money to fix the structures and entered into strategic partnership for the servicing and maintenance of the equipments to keep them functional, assured that never again shall government hospitals be left to deteriorate .
Governor Otti disclosed that government targets is to fully restore all primary, secondary and tertiary health institutions in the state for optimal functionality.
He also said government is determined to combat the threat of common deceases in all parts of the state, using appropriate methodologies.
Earlier, the commissioner for Health Dr Ngozi Okoronkwo who described the event as an epoch making one, saluted Governor Otti for his willingness to be used to salvage the situation, revealing that the Amachara General Hospital was in very bad shape during her first visit to the Hospital.
She said that the rehablitation of the hospitals were promises made and fulfiled, adding that other government Hospitals across the state will soon receive same attention.
Also speaking,the Chief Medical Director of the Health institutions ,Dr Francis Agu commended the efforts of the Governor towards making the institutions a place to be proud of within a short stay in office and thanked him for the selection of a team of experts in the persons of the Commissioner for Health, Dr Ngozi Okoronkwo and SSA on Special Duties Dr (Mrs) Betty Emeka Obasi who are relevant to the current trends in health care services.
He disclosed that the projects include completion and reequipping of the eye centre with modern machines, completion and reequipping of the general out patient department , the completion and reequipping of accident and emergency department of both Abia Specialist and Amachara general hospital, expansion and reequipping of 2 major theatres among others.