BY ANAYO OKOLI
UMUAHIA – The present government in Abia state is making efforts to refurbish the health sector. In the last two years or thereabout, the government has established two ultra modern Diagnostic Centres in Umuahia, the state capital and Aba, the commercial city.

The centres were established in partnership with a well known Indian firm, Mecure. The centres, particularly the one in Umuahia has state-of-the art equipment and facilities. The centres have since commenced operations and have been handling various ailments, some of which used to take patients abroad.

It was commissioned about four months ago by the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu. The centre at Umuahia now has a dialysis sector for patients with renal problems, conducts medical tests of various magnitude and other high profile ailments.

The Government has also upgraded the Amachara General Hospital in Umuahia South Council to a specialist hospital with corresponding facilities.

Few months ago, oil giants, Chevron in partnership with other oil firms such as FAMFA, Statoil and Petrobras built an ultra modern Chest Clinic inside the premises of Amachara Specialist Hospital. Well furnished with state-of-the-art facilities, the clinic has since opened to the public.

In the area of primary health, over 200 health centres, have been built across the 17 Local Government Areas of the state. Many of them have been furnished while others are yet to be fully equipped.

Besides, the government has embarked on the construction of eight 100-bed hospitals in various parts of the state including Arochukwu, Okeikpe, Ohafia, Umuahia, Ikwuano, Aba, covering the three senatorial districts of the state.

The state commissioner for Health, Dr. Okechukwu Ogar said that two more of the hospitals would soon be commenced in Uturu and another place.

In effort to ensure that the health institutions have enough medical personnel to man them, the state has embarked on the construction of a big lecture auditorium at the Abia State University Teaching Hospital [ABSUTH] to accommodate more medical students.

For now, Abia health sector can be said to be in good shape, but the worry being expressed is the maintenance of the structures and the equipment.