Otti thanks medical team for keeping their promise, Says healthcare is top on his agenda
Imo Thomas -Umuahia.
The Governor of Abia state, Dr. Alex Otti, has thanked the Revive Medical team from Belgium for embarking on another medical outreach journey to Abia state, saying they are promised to keep them.
Governor Otti made this known on Sunday evening when he received in the audience a delegation of the Revive Medical team from Belgium, who are in Abia state for a second medical outreach.
The Governor thanked them for coming again and said that the report he got from their last medical outreach was encouraging.
He reiterated that health care is at the top of the agenda of his administration.
“I want to let you know that healthcare delivery is topmost on our agenda. We have driven the healthcare delivery system in Abia from where it was when we came in 2023 to the present level. We are not there yet, there is still a lot of room for improvement.
“The reports I got after you left were very positive. As at the time I was inviting you, I had not gotten the feedback but interacting with you and seeing how serious you were, I was led to say come back next year.
“Just about a year ago, you were here, and I had requested that you return and get the government fully integrated into the medical mission,” Gov. Otti stated.
The Governor assured the team that adequate arrangements have been made to make them comfortable as they carry out the medical mission.
Governor Otti seized the opportunity to announce that he would be flagging off the construction of 200 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHC) to be delivered in 100 days.
He said that by the time he is through with the construction of the first 200 healthcare centers, he would commence another set of 200 and would continue until all the Primary Healthcare Centres in Abia State are rehabilitated and retrofitted.
“By tomorrow, we will be flagging off the retrofitting and rehabilitation of 200 Primary Healthcare Centers. These primary healthcare centers must be delivered in 100 days.
“We took our time to design a prototype of a Primary Healthcare Center in Abia State. So, when you walk into a primary healthcare center, you will know it is a primary healthcare center in Abia State.
“By the time we are done with the first set of 200, we will also flag off another 200 until all the 948 primary healthcare centers are fully rehabilitated,” Gov. Otti assured.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Health, Professor Enoch Ogbonnaya said that the second missionary journey of the medical team is in line with the Governor’s vision towards bringing to the doorsteps of Abians free and quality healthcare services.
Professor Ogbonnaya noted that the team is expected to perform at least one hundred surgeries of different kinds and one thousand consultations on varying health issues, adding that this medical mission, which is on the instance of the Governor, has allowed many Abians to receive quality free medical care.
He described the health mission as one of the many interventions of the Governor in the health sector, noting that in the days ahead, the Abia State University Teaching Hospital would wear a new look as it is currently undergoing retrofitting.
In his speech, the leader of the Revive Medical Team, Belgium, Dr. De Gazelle Herman, and another member of the team, Dr. Smart Oriaku, said that the medical mission is in response to the request of Governor Alex Otti following the success of their mission last year where thousands of people benefitted.
They said that the mission will see the team perform many surgeries, including Goiter and Hernia, among others, as well as medical consultations.
