The House of Representatives Committee on Healthcare Services has rated Abia highly for improvements in healthcare delivery.

Committee chairman Amos Magaji disclosed this on Tuesday during a courtesy visit to Governor Alex Otti in Nvosi, Isiala Ngwa South council.

Mr Magaji said the committee was in Abia on an oversight visit to assess implementation of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund and other health interventions.

He explained that the visit formed part of a nationwide assessment ahead of a proposed increase in Basic Healthcare Provision Fund allocation from one to two per cent.

Mr Magaji said the committee observed significant improvements in healthcare delivery and urban renewal, describing Abia as a notable success in the health sector.

He said Abia had exceeded the Abuja Declaration by allocating over 15 per cent of its budget to health and revitalising primary and specialist hospitals.

Mr Magaji added that the state reduced maternal mortality from over 1,000 deaths per 100,000 births in 2016 to 139 in 2025.

“We have visited over 30 states, and Abia is clearly one of the great success stories in the health sector,” he said.

Mr Otti said his administration prioritised giving every resident the highest possible chance of survival when accessing healthcare. He said the government was creating an enabling environment to attract and retain skilled health professionals in the state.

Mr Magaji noted that doctors, including a neurosurgeon, were returning from the United States and other countries to work in Abia.

Mr Otti said allocating 15 per cent to health reflected the belief that healthcare was an essential social infrastructure, not a profit-driven investment.

Health commissioner Enoch Uche said the lawmakers were verifying ongoing reforms and the utilisation of the BHCPF across the state.

Mr Uche said the administration consistently allocated over 15 per cent to health, funding ‘Project Ekwueme’ to renovate 200 primary healthcare centres.

He added that the state health insurance scheme has over 185,000 enrollees, aiming to reach 500,000 by year-end and one million by 2027.

The health committee chairman, Emeka Obioma, said the visit was statutory and that the findings showed performance beyond expectations. 

(NAN)