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Abia State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, says Governor Alex Otti is committed to a functional healthcare delivery system with more skilled manpower.
Prof. Uche made the statement during a workshop organised by the Federal Ministry of Health under the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative to prepare the framework for the Ministry’s 2026 operational activities.
The Abia Health Commissioner said the World Health Organization (WHO) is committed to supporting Abia State’s health sector, emphasizing the need for continuous capacity building for health workers.
He revealed that the state government has commenced recruitment of 771 health workers to boost its health workforce, with applications open until August.
Prof. Uche noted that concerns earlier included: inadequacy of skilled health personnel and high maternal mortality rates in Bende, Ugwunagbo, and Ukwa East Local Government Areas, adding that the state government has moved to address these concerns.
Southeastposts reports that during the workshop, health workers and stakeholders in the state raised the alarm over a surge in HIV/AIDS cases.
The health leaders and managers during the 4-week workshop blamed the surge on President Donald Trump’s anti-aid policy, which slashed funding for the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
According to them, this policy has affected the supply of subsidized HIV/AIDS drugs worldwide, making it tough for patients to afford treatment.
As a way of stemming the tide, the stakeholders called on the state government to re-strategize and increase sensitization about the resurgence.
In their submission, “HIV/AIDS is now on the increase. Most patients are out of their drugs because of Trump’s policy, which affected supplies by our donor agency USAID,” they stated.
They also emphasized the need for timely delivery of healthcare products from donor agencies to prevent expiration.
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