By Clifford Ndijihe

 A medical professional group, the Alliance for Medical Action, AMA, has hailed the performance of Governor Hope Uzodimma in the health sector in Imo State.

According to the AMA, Uzodimma’ efforts to improve healthcare infrastructure, accessibility, and the well-being of Imo residents deserve commendation.

The AMA President, Dr. Chisom Ezeh, said Governor Uzodimma, since taking office, has made “significant strides in revitalizing the healthcare sector, earning admiration for his commitment to the well-being of the people of Imo State.”

Citing, the governor’s investment in healthcare infrastructure. Dr. Ezeh said the Governor invested heavily in primary healthcare delivery through the upgrading of infrastructure.

She said medical professionals are pleased that Uzodimma renovated 305 health centres in the 305 electoral wards of the state to expand and enhance access and availability of vital services for rural and urban communities.

She said the governor’s dedication to healthcare extends to a comprehensive approach to address critical healthcare needs.  She added that through a strategic partnership with the World Health Organization, WHO, the governor created and implemented the Imo Health Insurance Programme.

“This has enabled over 66,000 Imo residents to obtain healthcare protection. A new Ministry of Health Insurance was even established to drive the agenda.  Governor Uzodimma’s contributions to health insurance, healthcare funding, and initiatives signify a comprehensive and forward-thinking approach to healthcare delivery,” she added.

By investing in human capital, the group said the governor has put significant emphasis on healthcare workforce development.

“One major area of remarkable achievements in the health sector is the re-accreditation of nursing and midwifery schools in Aboh Mbaise and Awommama after they lost accreditation in 2011. Another one is the fact that more than  300 medical students have graduated from the Imo State  University Teaching Hospital after a decade of non-accreditation  “We are pleased that the Teaching Hospital is now fully equipped with state-of-the-art medical facilities including digital x-ray machines, mammogram machines, ambulances,  dialysis machines, molecular biology and chemical pathology laboratory, equipment(for COVID-19 and other viral disease tests) and anaesthetic machines.

“The  Imo  State  Specialist  Hospital in Owerri is now fully functional and performing complicated operations such as spinal and brain injury surgeries. It is also important to stress that to optimize healthcare service delivery across the state the the Governor has procured 10 mobile clinics for speedy intervention at the primary level. These are remarkable achievements of this administration in our sector and that is why we are throwing our weight behind Governor Uzodimma’s reelection bid.

“He has done well and deserves another term and we know that Ndi Imo will line up behind him to complete the good job he has started,” she said.