By Ogbonnaya Ikokwu
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has donated a 1.5 Tesla MRI scanner to the Abia State Government to support the healthcare transformation agenda of the administration of Alex Otti.
The state Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, disclosed this on Monday during an interaction with journalists in Umuahia, the state capital.
Kanu said the donation was in recognition of the ongoing transformation in the state’s health sector.
According to him, the MRI scanner will complement services being offered in modern medical facilities across the state and significantly improve diagnostic capacity.
“The donation will complement medical services in state-of-the-art health facilities across the state and boost medical diagnosis,” Kanu said.
He added that the MRI scanner would be installed at the Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba.
The commissioner also revealed that the Abia State Health Insurance Scheme has recorded 157,462 new enrollees as of last Friday.
“This is in line with the governor’s vision to provide healthcare access with financial protection for Abians,” he said.
Kanu further disclosed that the governor had approved the recruitment of an additional 50 nurses, bringing the total number employed under the programme to 550.
“You will recall that His Excellency had earlier approved the employment of 771 medical personnel across different categories. So far, about 500 nurses have been employed, and the approval of another 50 brings the total to 550,” he said.
He also noted that the inaugural accreditation of the Abia State College of Nursing Sciences for its National Diploma programme received a boost following a recent visit by the National Board for Technical Education.
According to him, the accreditation team commended the massive remodelling of the institution’s facilities and training programme.
Kanu added that the state is collaborating with MedShare, USA, to train technicians on the repair and maintenance of hospital equipment to ensure sustainable healthcare delivery.
He also stated that the state recorded no confirmed cases of major public health concerns such as Lassa fever, Mpox, Diphtheria, Yellow fever, Cholera, and Rabies during the period under review.
The commissioner also announced that the state Ministry of Women Affairs, in collaboration with the Office of the First Lady, Priscilla Otti, would host the state’s 2026 International Women’s Day celebration on March 31.
He said the event would take place at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia at 10 a.m., with the theme, “Give to Gain,” encouraging philanthropic activities to support the less privileged.
Speaking also, the Commissioner for Health, Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, said the state government would collaborate with the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas to conduct a free medical outreach in the state between April 12 and April 17, 2026.
He said general surgeries and medical consultations would take place at Aba General Hospital, while eye surgeries and consultations would be held at the Abia Specialist Hospital and Diagnostic Centre, Umuahia.
Uche added that health workers would also benefit from specialised training by medical experts from the United States to strengthen the state’s healthcare workforce.
The commissioner cited a recent case at the Ohiya Primary Health Care Centre, where a woman suffering from Eclampsia successfully delivered twins due to improved equipment and facilities at the centre.
He explained that the upgraded facility made it possible for doctors to manage the life-threatening condition and save the lives of both the mother and the babies.
Uche described the development as evidence that the state government’s ongoing renovation and equipping of primary healthcare centres are yielding positive results.
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