ABSG begins week-long free medical outreach across Abia

The Abia State Government (ABSG), in partnership with the Abia State Diaspora Commission, has commenced a week-long Abia State Global Medical Mission 2025, with free surgeries and medical consultations already underway in five designated centres across the state.

Speaking at the Abia State Specialist Hospital, Umuahia, after inspecting activities at other outreach centres, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, said the initiative was being implemented under the leadership of Governor Alex Otti as part of his administration’s ongoing health sector reforms.

According to the commissioner, the medical outreach aligns with the governor’s roadmap for healthcare equity in Abia, which is designed to ensure that residents, regardless of their location, have access to quality healthcare services.

He explained that the programme focuses on taking healthcare directly to the people, a strategy he said helps to reduce healthcare costs while delivering high-quality medical services at the grassroots.

Prof. Uche disclosed that the outreach comprises three key components: free medical services, collaboration with global health organisations, and the expansion of health insurance coverage. He added that the programme also includes capacity-building, with frontline healthcare workers receiving training in Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS).

“This training is aimed at equipping our healthcare workers with the necessary skills to respond effectively and save lives,” he said.

The commissioner commended Governor Otti’s commitment to healthcare delivery, noting that the governor was recently recognised as the best-performing governor in primary healthcare in the South-East and among the top six nationwide. He added that the outreach would help curb medical quackery and urged Abia residents to take advantage of the opportunity to access free medical care.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Abia State Diaspora Commission, Okechukwu Agbara, expressed satisfaction with the collaboration, describing the medical mission as a successful effort to deliver quality healthcare services to the people.

He said the programme offers free medical consultations, health education, skills transfer, surgeries, as well as basic and advanced cardiovascular life support training. Agbara praised Governor Otti for prioritising healthcare in the state and assured of continued support from the diaspora community.

Agbara noted that various surgeries, including eye surgeries at the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Hospital, Aba, are ongoing, with about 150 procedures carried out daily. He added that the initiative reflects the growing positive image of Abia State and the role of the diaspora in supporting development through investment, healthcare and strategic partnerships.

He also thanked medical professionals from within and outside the country who volunteered for the mission, as well as members of the Diaspora Commission.

Medical personnel, including Dr. Chinedu Nwaru and Goodluck Esiwoke, confirmed that numerous surgeries have been successfully carried out, with hundreds of patients already treated. They commended the partnership with the state government, describing Abia as a leading state in developmental initiatives.

Beneficiaries of the outreach, including patients at the SDA Hospital, Aba, and the Specialist Hospital, Umuahia, expressed gratitude to the state government for the free medical services, saying the intervention had brought relief to many families.

The medical outreach is taking place daily from 8:00am to 4:00pm at the Abia Specialist Hospital, Aba Road, Umuahia; Uzuakoli Methodist Hospital; Seventh Day Adventist Hospital, Ogbor Hill, Aba; Ahiaeke Primary Healthcare Centre; and Okoko Item Health Centre. The programme is scheduled to end on Friday.