ABIA RECORDS MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH IN HEALTH SECTOR

The Abia State Government says it has achieved a significant milestone in the health sector, following the SBN Intelligence 2025 report which ranked the state number one in Nigeria on the Health Emergency Preparedness Index.

Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, announced this on Monday at Government House Umuahia while briefing journalists on the outcome of this week’s Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.

Prince Kanu said the high rating by SBN Intelligence, a research and strategic communications consultancy, is a strong endorsement of the far-reaching health sector reforms introduced by Governor Otti.

He explained that Abia’s top performance is driven by a robust per-capita health expenditure of about ₦22.96 million and the administration’s consistent 15 per cent budgetary allocation to the health sector since 2023.

According to him, these investments have translated into a Human Development Index (HDI) score of 0.674, one of the highest in the country and above the national average.

The commissioner also disclosed that the functionalisation of renovated primary healthcare centres across the state is progressing steadily and is expected to be completed before year-end.

He noted that enrolment into the state health insurance scheme has risen to 119,438, and when combined with federal enrolment, brings the total number of Abia residents covered under both schemes to about 217,000. He encouraged more residents to sign up in order to access quality healthcare without financial barriers.

Prince Kanu further revealed that Abia has recorded zero deaths from diseases of public health importance in the first 47 weeks of the year, a feat he described as a “profound statistic” reflecting the success of ongoing health reforms. He added that the state currently has no recorded cases of cholera, Mpox, yellow fever, diphtheria, or similar diseases.

He announced that the 2025 Abia Medical Outreach will hold from December 12th to 15th, with preparations already in advanced stages to ensure a smooth exercise.

On the economy, the commissioner confirmed that the long-awaited Abia–Turkey Investment Summit will be declared open by Governor Otti on Tuesday, November 20, 2025, while the main summit sessions will run from November 25th to 27th at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia. The summit aims to showcase Abia’s investment opportunities and strengthen bilateral business ties between Nigeria and Turkey.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Health, Professor Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, said Abia’s number-one ranking in emergency health preparedness is a direct outcome of the governor’s transformative initiatives in the sector.

Prof. Uche explained that the SBN Intelligence rating draws data from reputable sources including the National Bureau of Statistics, the World Health Organisation, National Demographic and Health Surveys, Budget, the Global Data Lab, and leading research universities.

He added that while the state is pleased with the recognition, the government will continue to push forward with its reform agenda as captured in Governor Otti’s social contract with Abians. He noted that the administration’s sustained 15 per cent health budget has improved access to care and saved ordinary Abians billions of naira through various outreach programmes.

He listed the key indicators used in the ranking to include doctor-to-population ratio, the Human Development Index, life expectancy, and quality of education, among others.