Gov. Alex Otti says Abia is ready to collaborate with the Abia Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas (ANPA) on a structured long-term framework to strengthen healthcare delivery in the state.
Otti said this on Tuesday at the official opening of the 2026 ANPA Medical Mission, a five-day medical outreach holding in Umuahia.
He said he had directed the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Enoch Uche, and his team to open discussions with ANPA on a structured long-term partnership framework.
According to him, the state government wants ANPA involved in the entire spectrum of healthcare delivery, including telemedicine, remote consultations, and the soon-to-be-launched digital health services portal.
“The overarching goal is to improve the health and well-being of our people through regular medical support initiatives, especially for vulnerable groups such as pregnant women, nursing mothers, newborns, and infants,” the governor said.
He described quality healthcare delivery as a critical foundation for economic prosperity and human development.
“At the centre of our development framework is the holistic welfare of the population.
“Everything we have done in the last 35 months is driven primarily by the desire to enhance the social and economic well-being of our people, improve their productive capacity, and effectively position them for a new era of prosperity,” Otti said.
He noted that infrastructure development is only meaningful when linked to expanding opportunities for citizens.
“We do not make a distinction between the health of the people and the prosperity of the economy, as they are interconnected.
“Health, as we see it, is also economics because it is tied to productivity, guides investment decisions, and promotes long-term prosperity,” he said.
Otti said this informed the state government’s decision to consistently allocate 15 per cent of its budget to the health sector, in line with the Abuja Declaration benchmark.
He commended ANPA for returning to Abia for its 2026 medical mission, barely two years after its previous outreach in the state.
He described the association as a reliable development partner committed not only to providing medical relief but also to strengthening the capacity of local healthcare workers through training and mentorship.
“We are proud to have found a team of reliable development partners in ANPA, who have come to ease the burden of health challenges for many in our communities and also offer hands-on training and mentorship for healthcare professionals,” he said.
Otti expressed optimism that the mission would provide both health and economic relief to many families while exposing local practitioners to new knowledge and skills.
He thanked ANPA medical volunteers from across the Americas and Nigeria for supporting the state’s healthcare reforms and also commended a team of ophthalmologists from another state for providing specialised eye care services.
He assured the team of the government’s support throughout the exercise.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Health said the mission reflected what could be achieved through evidence-based governance and strategic global partnerships.
Uche said the state government had continued to invest heavily in healthcare, adding that over 200 primary healthcare centres had been renovated, equipped, and staffed.
He said hospital consultations increased from about 216,000 in 2023 to over 1.05 million in 2025, representing more than a 400 per cent rise in healthcare utilisation.
“For this project, we have set a target of at least 1,500 medical consultations and 100 free complex surgeries,” he said.
Uche reaffirmed the government’s commitment to further collaborations to improve health outcomes and strengthen healthcare systems.
Also speaking, the President of ANPA, Dr Cliff Eke, said the programme formed part of the National Diaspora Health Impact Initiative envisioned during ANPA’s 30th anniversary in Lagos in 2025.
Eke said the initiative would be replicated in other states, with reports to be presented during the National Diaspora Day in Abuja later in the year.
“Every year for the last 30 years, ANPA has come to Nigeria to provide medical, surgical, dental, and eye care services, as well as healthcare advocacy and education.
“What makes our mission unique is that beyond medical services, we focus on knowledge exchange, skills transfer, training, and capacity building,” he said.
He added that the team comprises professionals in internal medicine, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, ophthalmology, surgery, sexual health education, and clinical training.
Eke said ANPA was also exploring telemedicine partnerships with the Abia Government to ensure continuity of care after the mission.
He commended Otti’s administration for its healthcare reforms, noting that Abia had emerged as a top-performing state in national health indices.
In her address, the Chairperson of the Abia Medical Mission Committee, Dr Uloaku Ukaegbu, described the initiative as a demonstration of the government’s commitment to equitable healthcare access.
She said healthcare remained a fundamental human need that should be accessible to all, regardless of economic or educational background.
Ukaegbu said the administration had prioritised partnerships with diaspora healthcare professionals to improve service delivery.
She noted that in the past year alone, over 15,000 residents received free treatment, while more than 300 surgeries were conducted through similar outreaches.
She added that eye care services had commenced at the Abia Specialist Hospital, where 198 persons received free eyeglasses and medication on the first day.
She also said outpatient services were provided to about 138 patients at Aba General Hospital, covering conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, malaria, typhoid, and other infections.
She said surgical procedures, including hernia repairs, gynaecological surgeries, and thyroidectomies, had commenced at Aba General Hospital.
Ukaegbu urged residents to take advantage of the outreach before it ends on Friday.
The Chief Executive Officer of Quantus Medical Foundation, Dr Nnenna Ihekorommadu, said the foundation had partnered with the state government to launch the Abia Healthcare Rebirth Initiative.
Ihekorommadu said the initiative, scheduled to commence after the ANPA mission, aims to restore compassionate care, accountability, respect, and excellence in healthcare practice.
She added that healthcare professionals in the state would receive training in basic life support, compassionate care, and professional accountability.
It was reported that the outreach will also feature a sexual and reproductive health programme for youths at Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Aba, on Thursday.
The programme will hold at two locations: Aba General Hospital for medical consultations and surgeries, and Abia Specialist Hospital and Diagnostic Centre, Umuahia, for eye care services.
