Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has once again reaffirmed his administration’s firm commitment to making healthcare a top priority, emphasizing that the health and well-being of Abians remain central to his transformation agenda.
Speaking in Umuahia on Wednesday while receiving Dr. (Mrs) Anne Amugo, the consultant coordinating the NNPC Foundation’s Free Cataract Extraction initiative, Governor Otti praised the life-changing medical outreach, which is taking place simultaneously across three locations in the state. He described it as a vital intervention aligned with his administration’s goals to expand access to quality medical care for all citizens.
According to the governor, healthcare is a non-negotiable pillar of his administration’s development blueprint, stressing that nations that neglect health often pay with lives. “Anywhere in the world, healthcare is not cheap. In places where it appears cheap, it is actually the option of death,” Governor Otti declared. “That is why we take healthcare seriously and will continue to support impactful initiatives like this. We appreciate what the NNPC Foundation is doing, and we are proud to host this noble intervention here in Abia.”
The governor also reiterated that his administration has no choice but to fix Abia, and healthcare will remain a central focus in achieving that vision. He expressed satisfaction with the high turnout of residents during the screening exercises, attributing the success to robust grassroots mobilization and the genuine need for medical support among the people.
Governor Otti highlighted the various medical interventions already implemented under his leadership and assured that more are in the pipeline to improve access, affordability, and efficiency in the state’s healthcare system.
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Dr. (Mrs) Anne Amugo, in her remarks, praised the Abia State Government for providing an enabling environment for the NNPC Foundation’s outreach to thrive. She commended Governor Otti’s progressive strides across key sectors, especially in healthcare, noting that Abia has become a reference point for good governance in Nigeria.
She expressed confidence that the cataract surgery project would positively impact hundreds of lives and lauded the government’s cooperation, which has been instrumental in the smooth rollout of the program.
Also present during the courtesy visit were the Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Mrs. Ngozi Felix; Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Ngozi Azodo; Administrator of the Eye Health Management Bureau and Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Duties, Dr. (Mrs) Betty Emeka-Obasi; and the Chief Medical Director of the Abia Specialist Hospital and Diagnostic Center, Dr. Chimezie Okwuonu, among other top government officials.
