IN ANAMBRA STATE, A HEALTHY MIND DWELS IN A HEALTHY BODY( Mens sana in corpore sano)...as powered by His Excellency Chief Dr Willie M. Obiano.

Governor Willie Obiano

At the inception of Chief Obiano's administration, the entire Ministry of Health in Anambra state was in a quagmire. The overall morale of the staff was in a vegetative state. In fact, the ministry was in coma. The house doctors were on strike for over one year. The human capital aspect of the ministry was in shadows. How then could there be a robust health care delivery where the service providers were in bad shapes?


But when a righteous man ascends the throne, the people rejoice. The first call by His Excellency Chief Willie Obiano was to reconcile all the differences between the government and the striking workers. All their grievances were identified, verified and resolved. Today, Anambra state is winning awards and laurels in health care delivery and the allied services. There is a total turnaround of the Ministry of Health under the great supervision of Hon. Dr. Josephat Akabuike. In fact, Dr Akabuike is a square peg in a square hole. He believes in team work and he is a smooth and silent goal-getter who quietly changed the tides in the ministry with the great support of His Excellency Chief Dr Willie Obiano.


In the Ministry of Health, we will all agree with me that most of their jobs and achievements are intangible. It is worthy to note that those intangible jobs done are the salient and action pedigree of the government. Anambra is the first state that is implementing health insurance scheme for civil servants and it is propelled by HIS EXCELLENCY CHIEF DR WILLIE M. OBIANO. His Excellency through the Health Ministry leveraging the Anambra Health Insurance Scheme and other grants to improve technology and subsidize healthcare costs across the state. Chief Obiano established Free healthcare policy for pregnant women (Pre-antenatal care) and also put in place a medical scheme for the elderly above 70 years.


In furtherance to fulfill the social contract with Ndi Anambra, His Excellency Chief Dr Willie M. Obiano not minding the inherent economic recession paid all the disputed allowances of house doctors in the ministry and employed another 680 health workers into the workforce of the ministry. Those employed include consultants, doctors, nurses, midwives, physiotherapists and lab scientists etc. His Excellency provided all the logistics that helped to get Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu College of Medicine accredited for MBBS which graduated her first medical doctors last year after several years. The school of health technology Obosi got all the courses accredited through the support of Chief Obiano as supervised by Hon Dr Joe Akabuike.


In the health sector infrastructure, Chief Obiano built and equipped 10 maternal healthcare centers in Awba Ofemili, Azigbo, Isseke, Okofia Nnewi, Umuchu, Ugwuagba Obosi, Urum, Umudioka and Umueje-Umunze. He rehabilitated, equipped and ensure proper management of maternal and child healthcare hospital at Ofu Obi Nanka. Chief Obiano renovated Comprehensive health care centre, Nibo. In a bid to revitalize the decayed secondary healthcare facilities and infrastructures in the state, His Excellency Chief Dr Willie M. Obiano renovated Umueri General Hospital, Atani General Hospital, Agulu General Hospital, Orumba General Hospital through PPP, Umunze General Hospital, Onitsha General Hospital etc. Chief Obiano also equipped the government house clinic. The administration of Chief Obiano in a bid to take healthcare down to the hinterlands and the grassroots, His Excellency renovated 63 primary healthcare centers and built 10 new ones with a view of achieving one functional primary healthcare centre per ward in 330 political wards of the state before December 2018. His Excellency purchased 6 boat ambulances and 6 motor ambulances equipped with emergency medical facilities for riverine areas of Anambra state. He also purchased 2 escort lifesaving ambulances( first of its kind in Nigeria). The energetic governor also purchased a live ambulance for Diocesan Hospital Nnewi. Other General hospitals are either at analysis stage or bidding stage.


As a man who has a resolution to make our public hospitals a world class healthcare provider, the governor built a Dialysis Unit at Amaku Teaching Hospital. He constructed Oxygen production plant at Amaku Hospital. Chief Obiano did not stop there, he also provided Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)  machine at Amaku Teaching Hospital for viral load testing and early life diagnosis. Chief Obiano provided and installed 58 SMS printers for retrieval of Early infant diagnosis (EID) of HIV exposed babies. By the time His Excellency completes his second term in office, the healthcare delivery system in Anambra state would be robust and worthwhile.


In the provision of basic infrastructure, His Excellency Chief Willie Obiano is building a multi storey hostel in Amaku Teaching Hospital Awka. Chief Obiano also built Immaculate Heart Hospital Aguleri and the hospital is being managed by Immaculate Heart Sisters of the Catholic Church on behalf of the government.


The huge resources, medical and social investments pumped into the health sector in Anambra state by His Excellency Chief Dr Willie M. Obiano have really changed the tide of the healthcare deliver in the state. Anambra state is one of the states that can boast of effective healthcare delivery in subsaharan Africa. The state is wining awards and laurels as recognition for qualitative healthcare system instituted by the hardworking governor.


Ndi Anambra had never had it so good before now. Wouldn't you rather support Willie till 2022 maka odimma Anambra?


Odaa writes from Amichi

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