Abia State Governor Alex Otti has stated that in order to increase the state’s access to high-quality healthcare delivery, his administration has partnered with the federal government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Otti made this statement while meeting with Dr. Salma Ibrahim, the Special Advisor to the President on Health, and her delegation, who were in Abia for an advocacy visit.
He stressed the mutual push towards a similar goal despite political disagreements and the shared interests between Abia and the Federal Government, particularly in the field of health.
According to Otti: “Given all the things you reeled out about the President’s renewed hope agenda with specific reference to health, I didn’t think I would be exaggerating if I say that even if we’re not in the same party, we are on the same pedestal. We are driving towards the same purpose.
“We already keyed in on this renewed hope agenda of the Federal government. Because listening to you, all the areas that the Federal government is interested in, are also the areas we are interested in.”
A strong budget for the healthcare delivery system, the restoration of the Abia State University Teaching Hospital’s accreditation, the payment of health workers’ salaries, and addressing the rates of maternal and infant mortality are just a few of the accomplishments that Governor Otti enumerated in the health sector.
He reaffirmed the preparedness of his administration to work with the federal government to provide the public with high-quality healthcare.
Earlier in her statement, Dr. Salma Ibrahim, the Special Advisor to the President on Health, urged Abia and the Federal Government to collaborate in order to expedite the health sector transformation projects mentioned in President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
She praised Otti for raising the country’s healthcare budget by 15% and urged for further efforts to lower maternal and infant mortality, promising that the federal government will assist Abia State in implementing various health initiatives.