A Free Medical Outreach organised by the Abia State Government in collaboration with the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas (ANPA), is set to commence on April 13, with about 25 doctors from the United States expected to be on ground to conduct free surgeries and medical consultations.

The Commissioner for Health, Prof. Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, announced this at Government House Umuahia during a press conference to herald the crucial medical mission scheduled to run from April 13 to April 17, 2026.
He noted that the Governor had directed that another ANPA Medical Mission be held this year to provide more free medical services to Abians, following the success of a similar outreach conducted two years ago.”His Excellency sometime last year, instructed the Ministry of Health to get in touch with the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas (ANPA), to plan and execute a medical outreach for the Abia people this year, and that is coming in the wake of the similar exercise that occurred two years ago, in 2024.
“You recall that in the 11 pillars, among the mandates of His Excellency in the health sector, one of them speaks to partnering or collaborating with physicians of Nigerian origin,
“of course Abia State origin as well, that are resident in different parts of the world, to come back home and work with the local team to extend high quality, affordable care to Ndi Abia,
“as a way of ensuring universal health coverage, ensuring that our people enjoy the highest quality of health care, and this is together with all the multifarious activities that are going on in the health sector simultaneously,” Prof. Uche stated.

According to the Commissioner, the programme will begin on April 13 with the arrival of the physicians, while the opening ceremony will take place at the Michael Okpara Auditorium by 12 noon on April 14, 2026. Full commencement of the outreach will also begin on the same day.
He disclosed that two hospitals have been earmarked for the exercise , Aba General Hospital and the Abia State Specialist Hospital and Diagnostic Centre, Umuahia.

All eye-related cases and surgeries will be handled at the Specialist Hospital, while general surgeries will take place at Aba General Hospital.
“We have a team of about 25 doctors that are coming from the U.S., and then we also have our local team that will work with them to ensure we have a very robust team, and they are going to operate and consult on April 14th, 15th, 16th, and 17th.
“It’s going to be a high-volume time, a very intensive time, but our team is prepared to be able to ensure that within this time frame, we’re able to meet our target.
“We want to see that at least 1,500 medical consultations, and of course up to 100 surgeries.
“The eye surgeries will hold at the Abia State Specialist Hospital and Diagnostic Centre, in the eye section, and so we’re going to have two ophthalmologists who are going to work with the team there to deliver free eye surgeries,”
Prof. Uche thanked Governor Alex Otti for providing the enabling environment and partial funding for the programme, noting that ANPA is contributing expertise and some consumables.
“But the logistics and the other things that are required to make sure that this is a success, His Excellency has graciously approved funds for this to happen, and we want to thank him for doing that,”

He further revealed that the programme would also include sexual and reproductive health education, training of health workers, as well as the Abia Healthcare Rebirth Initiative.
“There is another layer to this, another part of this programme,
ANPA has it as a policy, anywhere they go for outreach, they want to educate younger people on sexual and reproductive health.
“There is another part of the project, and that is the training of health workers. We’re going to train 80 health workers on basic life support.
“Remember that in December, when we had the Global Abia Medical Outreach, we also trained health workers on how to resuscitate people.
“Of course, His Excellency and the state is doing a lot in the healthcare sector, but to put all these things together, ensure that our people get maximum benefits,
“we need to champion a culture change that helps our health workers to embrace compassionate care, embrace the best practices, and then, of course, deliver the highest quality of healthcare,” Prof. Uche stated.
The Commissioner also used the opportunity to announce the commencement of rural emergency medical services across the state from April 10.
“we’re starting with the Maternal Mortality Reduction Innovations and Initiatives (MMRII) local governments.
“The Maternal Mortality Reduction Innovations and Initiatives is a programme of the Federal Ministry of Health to try to drive down maternal mortality.
“So, as I leave here, we’re going to send three ambulances to the MMRII local government,” Prof. Uche noted.

Also speaking, the Head of the Local Team of the Abia ANPA Medical Mission 2026 and Director General of ABSACA, Dr. Uloaku Ukaegbu, described the outreach as a well-structured and carefully coordinated exercise.
“To be precised, from Tuesday (the actual date of commencement of the outreach) next week to the end of next week, we’re going to be having that mission.
“So, we have been in communication with the team from America. In the last two months, every week, we have had delegations to ensure that everything that is going to happen next week is well-planned and well-thought-out.
Dr. Ukaegbu added that free screening, including blood tests and other investigations, are already ongoing ahead of the surgeries.
“Those that will require blood transfusions, the blood is being provided so that they will be transfused before the surgery.
“The students in Abia (Ogbonnaya Onu) Poly and the youths in Abia are also aware from our flyers, from the jingles, that when they come, they will have their sexual and health reproductive questions answered by experts. They will also have some incentives.
“They will be provided with protective commodities and everything to ensure that they live healthy sexual lives.
“Like my Commissioner has said, it’s (ANPA outreach) going to provide us an opportunity for skills transfer from those who are coming from diaspora to our team,” Dr. Ukaegbu stated.

Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has declared open the Abia–Turkiye Investment Summit and Product Exhibition, reaffirming his administration’s resolve to convert the State’s vast economic potential into a launchpad for accelerated development.

Flagging off the three-day summit at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia, Governor Otti—who themed his keynote address “Prosperity through Partnership”said the initiative was designed to give local businesses a direct handshake with Turkish and global investors. He emphasised that the goal is to create partnership pipelines that will help Abia entrepreneurs gain entry into regional and global markets while showcasing the State to the world.

Governor Otti encouraged visiting investors to harness Abia’s large pool of skilled manpower, the increasingly stable electricity supply particularly in Aba,its expanding road network, and its peaceful business climate. He urged them to explore opportunities across the agricultural value chain in all 17 LGAs by engaging directly with communities and the Commissioner for Agriculture.

“Go into the communities, interact with local business leaders, and identify opportunities with strategic advantages. You can be sure of the steady support of the State Government to make a success of your ventures,” the Governor assured.

Representing the Republic of Turkiye, the Commercial Councillor of the Turkish Embassy in Nigeria, Erdal Faitah Tozoghu, affirmed Turkiye’s strong commitment to building a long-term business relationship with Abia State. He expressed hope that the summit would grow into an annual tradition with even wider Turkish participation.

“The steps we take today will build a bridge not only between two economies, but between two futures. Let us walk this road together with trust, respect, and shared ambition,” he said.

Partners at the summit including Prince Eniola Joseph Ojajuni, Managing Director of Vega Growing Global Enterprise, and Abiodun Aderohunmu, Managing Partner highlighted key investment prospects in textiles, agriculture, and manufacturing. They described Abia as the new investment destination of the South East, crediting Governor Otti’s reforms for restoring investor confidence.

The Honourable Commissioner for Trade and Commerce, Dr. Salome Obiukwu, noted that the summit represents a bold leap towards deeper economic cooperation and greater bilateral opportunities between Abia and Turkiye.

Also speaking, the Governor’s Special Adviser on Investment Promotion and PPP, High Chief Jerome Green-Amakwe, said the summit would significantly enhance the State’s economic expansion, describing it as a strategic collaboration to promote trade, commerce, and industry. He added that Abia is using the platform to “expose itself to the world,” especially after the visible transformations recorded in the last two years and six months.

The high-profile event attracted dignitaries from various sectors and featured an extensive tour of exhibition stands, where Governor Otti inspected innovative products from local and international exhibitors.

Denmark has opened a fresh chapter of sub-national cooperation with Abia State, as Governor Alex Otti, OFR, declared his administration’s readiness to partner the European nation across key sectors of the State’s economy.

The commitment was made during a strategic meeting between Governor Otti and the Consul-General of the Kingdom of Denmark in Lagos, Miss Jette Bjerrum, held at the Michael Okpara Auditorium, Umuahia.

Governor Otti said Abia is eager to collaborate with Denmark in Agriculture, Digital Transformation, Health, Maritime, and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). He expressed satisfaction with the Consul-General’s presentation, noting that many of Denmark’s proposed intervention areas align seamlessly with the State’s ongoing reforms.

According to the Governor, his administration prioritises swift and decisive action once goals are clearly defined.

“Some of the things you said are exactly what we are doing. For us, it is either we are doing something or we are not doing it. We don’t waste time. We don’t wait for perfection because no man is perfect,” he stated.

Governor Otti directed relevant officials to commence preliminary work on the partnership immediately and accepted a proposal for a joint workshop with the Danish delegation. The workshop, scheduled for January, will fine-tune the implementation framework for the partnership.

Highlighting digital transformation efforts, the Governor said Abia has made massive investments in data-driven systems for agriculture and governance. He explained that the State now maintains reliable digital records of farmers and farmlands, enabling effective planning.

He revealed that the Commissioner for Science and Technology and the Special Adviser on Agriculture both diaspora returnees are driving critical reforms in these sectors.

On health and education, Governor Otti noted that his administration consistently allocates 35% of the annual budget to both sectors, including 15% for health and 20% for education. He informed the Danish team of the State’s free and compulsory basic education policy, as well as ongoing upgrades in schools and 200 primary healthcare centres.

The Governor also underscored the success of the independent power project powering Aba with 24-hour electricity,an unprecedented achievement in Nigeria. He encouraged the delegation to visit Aba to experience the creativity of local artisans, describing the city as Nigeria’s “capital of MSMEs.”

Governor Otti commended Denmark’s development model and reiterated Abia’s commitment to building institutions that can contribute significantly to national growth.

Earlier, Consul-General Jette Bjerrum reaffirmed Denmark’s commitment to strategic sub-national partnerships with Abia State. She said her visit aims to build trust and establish practical partnerships capable of delivering impactful short-term and long-term results.

Miss Bjerrum highlighted Denmark’s African Century Strategy, noting that Nigeria remains a central regional hub for investment and innovation. She emphasized Denmark’s strength in the agriculture value chain from farming to retail while identifying food systems as a priority area for collaboration.

She also underscored the importance of digital transformation, explaining that Denmark intends to support data-driven initiatives across public and private sectors to enhance efficiency and innovation at State level.

Miss Bjerrum noted that Denmark’s fund-owned corporate model promotes local participation and impactful investments. She added that high-level visits by the Danish Queen and State Secretary demonstrate Nigeria’s global relevance and the value of State-level partnerships.

She concluded that the forthcoming workshop would help identify specific collaboration areas and accelerate implementation.

The meeting had in attendance several key government officials, including the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Cliff Agbarze; Commissioner for Lands, Hon. Chaka Chukwumerije; Commissioner for Industries and SMEs, Hon. Mike Akpara, alongside other Commissioners and senior government aides.