Dr. Oluebube A. Chukwu has lauded Governor Alex Otti for commissioning several Primary Health Care Centres (PHCs) across Abia State, describing the initiative as an ambitious and visionary leap in the state’s healthcare evolution. The health centres, spread across different local government areas, mark the first phase of the administration’s plan to revitalize 948 PHCs under the transformative “Project Ekwueme.”
Oluebube Chukwu, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Alex Otti on Due Process, a respected development advocate and policy strategist, expressed profound satisfaction with the scope and depth of the rehabilitation, noting that for the first time in decades, the state is witnessing a concerted effort to restore dignity and accessibility to grassroots healthcare delivery. According to him, the recent commissioning of the first phase of the PHCs is a testament to the governor's practical commitment to equitable public health infrastructure.
While touring several of the rehabilitated facilities in Umunneochi LGA, Chukwu noted that the level of work being executed is not just cosmetic but structural and functional. “What we are seeing is not a mere facelift but a comprehensive overhaul of the primary healthcare framework,” he remarked, commending the facilities for being well-equipped and ready to serve communities with professionalism and efficiency.
He highlighted that Governor Otti’s approach mirrors global standards in rural healthcare prioritizing accessibility, affordability, and preventive medicine. “These centres will help bridge the gap between underserved populations and quality medical services. This is how real development begins by addressing the everyday needs of the people,” he asserted.
The initiative, according to reports, follows a symbolic commissioning model. For instance, Ngwu Uzuakoli PHC in Bende represents 16 renovated centres in the LGA, while Amigbo, Owerrinta, and Ekeoba Oriendu PHCs serve as symbolic flags for dozens of others in Umuahia South, Isiala Ngwa South, and Umuahia North respectively. Chukwu defended the approach, praising it as a cost-efficient method of public service delivery that avoids wasteful expenditure on ceremonies.
Emphasizing sustainability, Dr. Chukwu called on local leaders, health professionals, and civil society to collaborate in maintaining the centres. “Reviving a health facility is one thing, keeping it alive through accountability, staffing, and community ownership is another. We must do both,” he said, urging the Ministry of Health to institutionalize monitoring protocols.
He noted that the impact of these rehabilitated PHCs would extend beyond health they would reduce pressure on hospitals, improve maternal and child outcomes, and rekindle confidence in public services. "With these 54 PHCs now functional, more lives will be saved, and fewer families will be pushed into poverty by avoidable medical emergencies," Chukwu said.
Chukwu reaffirmed his support for Dr. Alex Otti’s healthcare reforms, describing them as a watershed moment in Abia’s history. “This is not governance by gimmick; it’s governance by grit. While others offered tokenism, Governor Otti is delivering transformation. The New Abia is here and it’s healing itself,” he declared.
oluebubechukwu.com
