The healthcare sector in Abia State received a major boost on Wednesday as Governor Alex Otti flagged off the official commissioning of newly retrofitted Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) under the ambitious Project Ekwueme, a health initiative targeting the revitalisation of 200 PHCs across all 184 wards in the state.

The flag-off event, held at the Ibeku High School Field in Umuahia, marked a significant milestone in the state’s health reform agenda, which Governor Otti launched shortly after assuming office.

The retrofitted PHCs commissioned include those located in Owerinta (Isiala Ngwa South), Amibo (Umuahia South), and Ekeoba (Umuahia North), selected based on population needs and existing service gaps.

Commissioner for Health, Professor Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, described the initiative as a “watershed moment” in Abia’s health journey, noting that none of the state’s 948 PHCs met acceptable maternal and child care standards prior to Otti’s administration.

He revealed that maternal mortality has dropped from 117 to below 70 per 100,000 women since reforms began.

“Project Ekwueme was conceived to rejuvenate the primary health system, reduce avoidable deaths, and bring quality healthcare to the immediate neighbourhoods of our people.

“Today, each retrofitted PHC is equipped with modern gadgets including point-of-care ultrasound scanners that improve early diagnosis and delivery care,” Uche said.

Governor Otti, in his address, reinforced his administration’s commitment to equitable healthcare delivery, stating that “every ward in Abia deserves access to quality primary care.”

He urged communities to take ownership of the facilities by protecting them from vandalism.

Speaking further, Otti announced that the state would also reconstruct the deteriorating Ikot-Ekpene Road linking the newly commissioned IBB Way in Umuahia North, despite its federal designation.

“For us, whether a road is federal or state, Abians are the ones who use them. We will fix it,” Otti declared.

Dr. Kingsley Nwaigburu, General Manager of the Abia State Debt Management Office and Coordinator of Project Ekwueme in Abia Central, confirmed that 64 PHCs in the senatorial zone are either completed or at final stages. He emphasised that the project is “visible, not audio,” stressing its direct impact on grassroots communities.

Representing one of the host communities, the Traditional Ruler of Ekeoba Kingdom, Eze Ambassador Iheanyichukwu Nwokenna, hailed the development as a “new dawn in Abia,” stating that the renovated Ekeoba PHC had restored a sense of belonging to his people.

“This is the first time in living memory that a government has made such a bold, community-focused intervention,” he said.

Beyond health, the event also saw the commissioning of major roads, with Commissioner for Works, Engr. Otumchere Oti, and other dignitaries applauding the government’s holistic approach to infrastructure and health development.

Cultural displays and presentations by grateful communities added colour to the ceremony, underscoring growing public approval of the Otti administration’s people-first policies.

As Abia continues its health sector transformation, Project Ekwueme is being hailed by experts and residents alike as a model for subnational healthcare reform targeting equity, accessibility, and measurable outcomes.