To many people in Abia State, the health sector is one of the areas the administration of Governor Theodore Orji has scored high. They believe the administration has touched virtually all the sectors in the state but beyond that the health sector has been revolutionised
A top government official in Abia State spoke in tandem with the views expressed by the people. He said, “The state government, in line with Millennium Development Goals [MDGs], has built over 200 health centres across the 17 local government councils of the state.
Most of the health centres, which are mainly located in the rural areas, have been equipped, while some of them are being equipped. Health personnel have been posted to those already equipped.
Though they don’t have resident doctors, visiting doctors are sent there but qualified nurses are permanently there to attend to patients with the visiting doctors coming regularly”.
According to him, Orji recently directed the transition committee chairmen in the 17 local government areas to ensure that all the health centres that were ready have relevant health personnel. “The governor told them to inform the state government if those in their council areas lack personnel, especially nurses and visiting doctors.
He said the health centres were set up to ensure that health care services are within the reach of the rural masses who sometimes due to lack of health centres die or lose their children to minor illnesses that could be easily handled at the health centres,” the government official added.
The health revolution of the Orji administration also shows in the building of two world class diagnostic centres in Umuahia and Aba. The centres are run in partnership with Mecure, a first class Indian health institution.
The diagnostic centres, according to government sources, have been a huge success as ailments hitherto taken overseas are now diagnosed at the centres.
And as a result of the success recorded, the government has acquired more space at the Umuahia centre to set up a dialysis centre for patients with kidney problems.
According to the state health commissioner, Dr. Okechukwu Ogar, the governor has paid the counterpart funds that concern HIV/AIDS programme in the state.
health commissioner said that the state government “has given grants to the state ministry of health and other agencies that have health related matters on AIDS, to run an awareness programme and also funds other organizations to manage the AIDS programme at Owaza in Ukwa West council area”.
Ogar noted that Orji has given approval for the employment of about 11 consultants to man the health centres across the state, saying once they are employed, the health situation in the state will improve.
He said that when the consultants resume duties, they will bring their wealth of experience to bear on the health sector in the state and also help to train general practitioner doctors that will be working with them.
The wife of the governor, Mercy Odochi Orji, has also been playing some role in the Abia health sector with her active involvement in the sensitization and mobilization of the rural women in the various maternal and child immunization programmes.
In one of the immunization programmes, she indicated strong interest in the health of the rural women and their children because “as a mother, I know the pains associated with child delivery. I’m therefore committed to the success of this follow-up action to combat deaths associated with child delivery. It is a comprehensive package that cares for both pregnant women and under five children.”
She added: “Mothers need not die in childbirth. We must give our young women information and the support they need to control their reproductive health, help them during pregnancy and care for the new born in childhood”.
Less than one year into the governor’s second term, the performance of Abia in the health sector gives hope for many people that, before his second year runs out in 2015, the state must have been taken to the desired level of affordable health services in the rural areas.