The Abia State Government has announced plans to recruit additional healthcare professionals into the state Ministry of Health as part of efforts to strengthen the health sector.

The Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, disclosed this on Monday while briefing journalists on the outcome of the week’s State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.

Kanu said the latest recruitment exercise would target medical officers, dental officers and consultants for both full-time and part-time appointments.

“In line with the ongoing reforms, the State Civil Service Commission will commence recruitment of more healthcare professionals tonight. At the last count, 742 medical personnel had been hired.

“This new phase will focus on medical officers, dental officers, consultants — both full-time and part-time. Interested candidates have been urged to apply,” he said.

The commissioner also said the state’s health sector reforms had continued to attract international recognition, with Abia reportedly ranked first in healthcare affordability and among the top three states nationwide in quality healthcare delivery.

According to Kanu, the rankings were contained in a recent report by Philips Consulting and SBI, which also placed Abia as the only state to rank among the top three across 16 indicators of good governance based on citizens’ perceptions.

“The ranking and recognition by Philips Consulting serves as an independent validation of the impressive transformation recorded so far in the state’s health sector,” he said.

Kanu further disclosed that the Ministry of Health had piloted a digital application known as CYTrack, designed to identify and monitor high-risk and teenage pregnancies as part of efforts to reduce maternal and child mortality.

He said the application had been successfully used to monitor such pregnancies through to delivery.

The commissioner also highlighted progress recorded through the functionalisation of Basic Health Centres across the state.

“Data from July 2025 to June 2026 show that the first 50 functionalized PHCs accounted for over 20% of 1.067 million Out-Patient Department, OPD, visits and deliveries,” he said.

Kanu added that three additional primary healthcare centres had been made functional between July 27 and August 7, bringing the total number of functionalised PHCs to 151 from 148.

He said another 25 equipped PHCs were scheduled to be functionalised within the next three weeks.

The commissioner also disclosed that enrolment in the state health insurance scheme increased from 233,000 to 237,000 between July 27 and August 7.

He said the scheme was also receiving support from the Abiriba Community Improvement Union, North America Charter, which had committed to sponsoring more than 1,000 indigent persons under the informal sector.

“The state government calls on other communities and groups to emulate the gesture,” Kanu said.

He added that no outbreak of diseases of public health importance was recorded in the state during the period under review, including Ebola, Lassa fever, COVID-19, diphtheria, cholera, Mpox and yellow fever.

Housing and infrastructure

On infrastructure, Kanu said the Ministry of Housing had been directed to sanitise the World Bank Housing Estate at Abayi Umucham in Aba and undertake remedial works, including road rehabilitation.

He said the ministry would also work with the Ministry of Works to carry out rainy-season maintenance on roads within Amauba Estate to improve accessibility pending permanent construction.

According to him, a new transformer had also been provided for the estate to address its electricity challenges.

Abia marks 35th anniversary

The commissioner further announced that Abia State would celebrate the 35th anniversary of its creation this month.

He said a number of projects had been lined up for commissioning as part of the activities, including the Obingwa General Hospital and the Cottage Hospital at Amamba Estate.

“It promises to be a week-long celebration that will further give major impetus to the transformation journey of the Alex Otti-led administration,” Kanu said.