Abia Medical City to Cut Cost of Overseas Treatment – Prof. Ogbonnaya

Abia State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Enoch Ogbonnaya, has said that the proposed Abia Medical City being championed by Governor Alex Otti is aimed at saving Nigerians the cost and stress of traveling abroad for quality medical care.

Speaking with journalists in Umuahia, Prof. Ogbonnaya said the project, to be located in Owerinta for accessibility, will be a quaternary medical facility offering world-class care in areas such as cancer treatment, orthopaedics, neurosurgery, cardiology, renal therapy, and cosmetic surgery.

Estimated at $1.3 billion, the Medical City is scheduled to be flagged off in June by President Bola Tinubu. The project will also include a five-star hotel, tourist sites, and support industries in the healthcare value chain.

The Commissioner revealed that companies in the digital health sector have already expressed interest in setting up digital health hubs around the project site. He added that all specialist hospitals and primary healthcare centres across the state will be linked to the Medical City to create a comprehensive healthcare ecosystem.

Prof. Ogbonnaya highlighted Governor Otti’s commitment to healthcare, noting that 15% of the state’s annual budget is allocated to the health sector—a clear indication of the administration’s priorities.

He also spoke on the governor’s “Project Ekwueme,” which aims to retrofit 200 healthcare centres in 100 days. According to him, over 107 of the centres are already 75% complete, while others are at various stages of progress. The total cost of the project is about ₦10.9 billion.

The Commissioner called on Abians to support Governor Otti’s administration, assuring that more life-changing projects and democratic dividends are underway.