By Ihechinyere Chigemeri-Uwom
Umuahia, April 14, 2026
Gov. Alex Otti has said that Abia is ready to collaborate with the 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 that he had directed the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Enoch Uche, and his team to open discussion 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 in the state, 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 human population.
“Everything we have done in the last 35 months is driven primarily by the desire to enhance the social and economic experiences of our people, improve their productive capacity and effectively position them into a new era of prosperity,” Otti said.
He said that infrastructure development would only be meaningful when directly linked to the broader objective of expanding opportunities for citizens.
“We do not make a distinction between the health of the people and the prosperity of the economy, for they are one and the same.
“Health, as we see it, is also economics because it is tied to the productivity of the population, guides investment decisions and ultimately promotes long-term household and public sector prosperity,” he said.
Otti said that this informed the state government’s decision to consistently allocate 15 per cent of its budgetary provisions 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 to residents 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 not only come to lift the burden of difficult health challenges for several members of our community, but also to offer hands-on training and mentorship for healthcare professionals working here,” he said.
Otti expressed optimism that the mission would provide both health and economic relief to many families, while exposing local medical practitioners to new knowledge and skills.
He specifically thanked ANPA medical volunteers from different parts of the Americas and Nigeria for identifying with the state’s healthcare reforms.
The governor also commended a team of ophthalmologists from another state who joined the mission to provide specialised eye care services.
He assured the team of government’s support and hospitality throughout the duration of the exercise.
In a remark, the commissioner for health said the medical mission reflected what could be achieved through evidence-based governance and strategic global partnerships.
Uche said that the State Government had continued to invest heavily in healthcare,
adding that the administration had renovated, equipped and staffed over 200 primary healthcare centres across the state.
He said that hospital consultations in the state increased from about 216,000 in 2023 to over 1.05 million in 2025, representing a more than 400 per cent increase 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 State Government’s commitment to further collaborations aimed at improving health outcomes and strengthening 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 was the first of its kind and would also 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 said the team had assembled a multi-disciplinary group of professionals, covering major branches of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and nursing.
Eke explained that the mission comprised internal medicine, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, ophthalmology, surgery, sexual health education and clinical training, particularly basic life support.
He said that ANPA was also exploring telemedicine partnerships with the Abia Government to ensure continuity of care after the physical mission.
He commended Otti’s administration for its leadership and healthcare reforms, saying that Abia had emerged as a top-performing state in national health indices.
In an address, the Chairperson of the Abia Medical Mission Committee, Dr Uloaku Ukaegbu, described the initiative as a demonstration of the State Government’s commitment to equitable healthcare access.
Ukaegbu said that healthcare remained a fundamental human need that should be accessible to all persons, irrespective of economic or educational background.
She said that the present administration had continued to prioritise partnerships with healthcare professionals in the diaspora as part of efforts to improve healthcare delivery in the state.
“The outcome of this partnership is what we are witnessing today as another medical outreach by ANPA.
“Last year alone, we had about seven such outreaches, where over 15,000 Abia residents received free treatment, while more than 300 surgeries were carried out.
“The governor has consistently provided major funding support for these missions and had built the healthcare sector around ensuring access to quality healthcare for everyone in Abia,” she said.
Ukaegbu further disclosed that eye-care services had already commenced at the Abia Specialist Hospital, where 198 persons received free eyeglasses and eye drops on the first day.
She also said that outpatient services were also provided to about 138 patients at Aba General Hospital, covering conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, malaria, typhoid and other infections.
Ukaegbu said that surgical procedures, including hernia repairs, gynaecological surgeries and thyroidectomies, had commenced at Aba General Hospital.
She urged residents to take advantage of the opportunity before the outreach would end 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 that the initiative, scheduled to commence after the ANPA mission, was aimed at restoring compassionate care, accountability, respect and excellence in healthcare practice across the state.
She said that the healthcare professionals in the state would receive training in basic life support, compassionate care and professional accountability.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the outreach will also feature a sexual and reproductive health programme for youths at Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Aba, on Thursday.
NAN also reports that the programme would hold in two locations, including the Aba General Hospital for medical consultations and surgeries; and Abia Specialist Hospital and Diagnostic Center, Umuahia for Eye care treatments.
