As Gov Umo Eno's Healthcare Initiatives Gain National Attention

By Ekemini James

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno is making significant strides that is improving healthcare delivery in the State. This is evident through the various state-of-the-art Model Primary health centers and other health interventions put in place by his administration to revolutionize the sector.

The Governor's penchant for a healthy and prosperous Akwa Ibom aligns with the assertion of Dr. Paul Farmer, Co-Founder of Partners in Health (PIH), who averred that, "investing in quality healthcare not only improves individual health outcomes, but also contributes to the overall well-being and productivity of a society."

Governor Eno, known for his commitment to improving healthcare access in rural communities, recently handed over Medical Oxygen Production Plant (AKSMOPP) at Ituk Mbang, Primary Health Centre (Base), Wellington Bassey, Uyo and Public Health Emergency Operation Centre Akwa Ibom State Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance Systems (AKISEMSAS), Uyo.

These projects will further strengthen healthcare delivery at the grassroots level of the state capital and improve emergency response capabilities.

At the inauguration ceremonies, the Governor assured of his administration’s commitment to enhancing healthcare infrastructure and ensuring accessible, high-quality medical services for residents in line with the tenets of the ARISE Agenda.

He said, “the formal unveiling of this facility, one of such we are doing across the 31 Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom State validates our campaign promise to bring quality healthcare for our people.

“We are not only building the infrastructures, we are also providing insurance for our people and all these are geared towards ensuring medical tourism."

In a project overview, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Emmanuel Ekem John, said the State now have 28 ambulances, a call center and two other ambulances donated to the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, applauded Governor Umo Eno for prioritizing the health needs of Akwa Ibom people, urging other states to emulate what he described as strategic investments made in the healthcare sector.

The projects aside changing the narrative in mitigating maternal health mortality in the State will reduce pressure on secondary healthcare facilities and better the overall lives of Akwa Ibom people.

Recall that, Governor Eno had approved the engagement of health-workers in the State to ensure that the newly minted health centers are not just structures but fully functional facilities teeming with skilled professionals.

The Governor has pledged to provide extra allowances as incentives to doctors and nurses working in primary healthcare facilities in rural areas, which shows his efforts to attract and retain skilled healthcare professionals in rural communities.

In addition, his administration is also working to establish Ibom Medical City along the economic corridor between Itam and Ikot Ekpene which will provide world-class healthcare services, position the state as a destination for medical tourism, supply occupancy for the state-owned Four Points by Sheraton at Ikot Ekpene and maximize the potential of Ibom Specialist Hospital as a quaternary centre.

Let me conclude by saying that Governor Umo Eno is a leader who has deeply invested in the welfare of his people, a steward of health, and a champion of people-oriented projects.

As those Health facilities open its doors to provide basic and essential healthcare services to the people, it ushers in an era of unparalleled healthcare access, setting a precedent for the rest of Nigeria and beyond, even as similar construction work is ongoing simultaneously across the state.