Abia State government has embarked on integrated water, sanitation and hygiene

initiatives to boost public health.

The Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities, Ikechuckwu who disclosed this at

Government House Umuahia while speaking on the outcome of this week’s Executive

Council Meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti said, the initiative was conceived

as a coordinated, three-phase program which will see existing boreholes retrofitted with

solar-powered systems, particularly in rural areas, to ensure consistent water supply

without reliance on the power grid.

He identified quality water as important to raising public health standards, as well as

thorough water facility analysis and treatment would be carried out to ensure safe

drinking water for the Abia public, especially those living in the rural areas, adding that

measures are being taken to improve sanitation and hygiene across the state, while,

pointing out the aims to achieve zero open defecation that would construct modern

solar-powered public sanitation facilities, including washrooms and toilets across the

three senatorial zones”.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Okey Kanu said Governor Alex

Otti has approved the upgrading of Amachara General Hospital and Abia State

Specialist in Umuahia, stressing that the upgrading will enable the hospitals to offer an

expanded scope of medical services like internal medicine, cardiology, neurology,

surgical services, brain and spine surgeries among others.

Also speaking, the new Abia State Commissioner for Health, Professor Enoch

Ogbonnaya Uche said, the Governor also approved the funds for the hiring of high-

calibre specialists across various medical fields to provide the people with the best

quality healthcare services.