By Mark Chukwu, Umuahia
Abia State has emerged as one of Nigeria’s best-performing states in reducing maternal and infant mortality, following significant investments in the healthcare sector under the administration of Governor Alex Otti.
The achievement was highlighted in the recently released First Quarter Performance Dialogue, a flagship accountability and performance review programme of the Federal Ministry of Health. The quarterly dialogue brings together officials from the Federal Ministry of Health, commissioners for health from the 36 states and the FCT, alongside development partners, to assess progress in the health sector, monitor key performance indicators and strengthen healthcare delivery across the country.
Speaking while briefing journalists after the State Executive Council meeting chaired by Governor Alex Otti, the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, attributed the state’s outstanding performance to the government’s sustained investment in healthcare infrastructure and services.
According to him, the state’s remarkable improvement in maternal and infant health outcomes is directly linked to the renovation, retrofitting and full revitalisation of Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across Abia.
He explained that under the first phase of Project Ekwueme, the state is revitalising 200 Primary Healthcare Centres in addition to 77 World Bank-supported PHCs. So far, 139 facilities have become fully operational, while 50 are currently being equipped. The remaining 12 centres are expected to be completed and functional within the next two weeks.
Kanu also disclosed that the state’s Digital Health Project has significantly increased patronage of public healthcare facilities. Over the last three months, more than 9,136 patients have been enrolled across nine hospitals through the digital health platform.
He further revealed that enrollment under the Abia State Health Insurance Scheme has witnessed remarkable growth, increasing from about 40,000 beneficiaries in December 2024 to 225,581 as of July 2026. According to him, the increase reflects growing public confidence in the state’s ongoing healthcare reforms.
The Information Commissioner also announced that rehabilitation work at the Obingwa General Hospital is nearing completion. Several sections of the hospital have been upgraded, while new structures have been added to improve service delivery. He said the facility is currently being equipped with modern medical equipment, including Digital Health and Telehealth facilities, ahead of its official commissioning.
Beyond infrastructure development, Kanu disclosed that Abia is leading a collaborative initiative involving Anambra, Akwa Ibom and Delta states to domesticate a digital immunisation tracking system. The initiative will link children’s vaccination records with other social data to strengthen healthcare planning, improve immunisation coverage and enhance disease prevention efforts.
He also urged residents to maintain proper food hygiene and safety practices as part of the Ministry of Health’s weekly public health advisory, stressing that preventing contamination of food and drinking water remains essential in reducing the spread of infectious diseases.
Corroborating the state’s performance, the Commissioner for Health, Professor Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, stated that the impressive results were independently verified through the Federal Ministry of Health’s national reporting system.
According to him, the verified data confirms that Governor Alex Otti’s healthcare reforms are delivering measurable results across key health indicators.
Professor Uche noted that the state recorded a significant decline in maternal mortality while neonatal mortality also reduced from nine to seven, describing the improvement as evidence that strategic investments in healthcare produce tangible outcomes.
He further stated that Abia continues to make remarkable progress in child healthcare and remains one of the four states leading Nigeria’s digital immunisation registry programme alongside Akwa Ibom, Delta and Anambra States.
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The latest recognition further reinforces Abia State’s growing reputation as one of Nigeria’s leading states in healthcare transformation, with ongoing investments in modern facilities, digital healthcare systems, health insurance expansion and primary healthcare expected to further improve the wellbeing of residents.
