NEWS
Gov. Otti Deepens Healthcare Revolution as Abia Approves Additional 50 Nurses, Boosts Nursing College Accreditation, Partners MedShare USA for Technical Training, Records Zero Cases of Major Infectious Diseases
The Abia State Government has taken another significant step in strengthening its healthcare system, as Governor Alex Otti approved the recruitment of 50 additional nurses to complement ongoing efforts under the state’s Human Resource Programme.
The Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, made this known on Monday at Government House, Umuahia, while briefing journalists on the outcome of this week’s State Executive Council meeting presided over by the Governor.
Prince Kanu announced that the Governor has approved the appointment of 50 nurses in addition to the 500 already employed under the Human Resource Programme and recruitment of medical personnel done by the state-owned hospitals.
“You will recall that His Excellency had given approval for 771 medical personnel to be employed across different categories. During that process, about 500 nurses so far have been employed.
“His Excellency has approved another 50, bringing the total number of nurses to 550 in our hospitals in the state,” Prince Kanu stated.
Beyond workforce expansion, the Commissioner revealed that the inaugural accreditation process of the Abia State College of Nursing Sciences has received a major boost, particularly for its National Diploma programme, following a recent visit by the National Board for Technical Education.
He noted that the visiting team expressed satisfaction with the extensive remodelling of the institution’s facilities and the improved quality of its training programmes, commending the administration’s sweeping transformation of the health sector.
In further efforts to ensure sustainability in healthcare delivery, Prince Kanu disclosed that Abia State is collaborating with MedShare USA to train technicians in the repair and maintenance of hospital equipment. According to him, the initiative will also cover the use of surgical equipment, enabling health workers to effectively operate modern machines being deployed across state healthcare facilities.
Providing an update on public health, the Commissioner assured residents that there are no positive cases of diseases of public health importance recorded in the state within the period under review, including Lassa fever, Mpox, diphtheria, yellow fever, cholera, and rabies.
The latest developments underscore the state government’s commitment to building a resilient, efficient, and modern healthcare system capable of meeting the needs of its gr
owing population.