Abia State has received a major boost in its healthcare delivery following the donation of a 1.5 Tesla MRI machine by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The development was disclosed on Monday by the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, during a media briefing in Umuahia. He explained that the donation was in recognition of the significant improvements recorded in the state’s health sector.

According to Kanu, the MRI scanner will enhance diagnostic capabilities and complement services already being provided in modern medical facilities across the state. He added that the equipment will be installed at the Abia State University Teaching Hospital in Aba.

He noted that the gesture aligns with the vision of Governor Alex Otti to upgrade healthcare infrastructure and improve service delivery across Abia.

Providing further updates, the Commissioner revealed that the Abia State Health Insurance Scheme has enrolled over 157,000 new beneficiaries as of last week, reflecting growing public confidence in the scheme.

Kanu also announced that the governor has approved the recruitment of an additional 50 nurses, bringing the total number of newly engaged nurses to 550 under the state’s ongoing health workforce expansion. This is part of a broader plan that earlier approved the employment of 771 medical personnel across various categories.

On medical education, he disclosed that the Abia State College of Nursing Sciences recently recorded progress in its accreditation process for the National Diploma programme, following a visit by the National Board for Technical Education. The accreditation team reportedly commended the extensive upgrades in the institution’s facilities and training standards.

The state government is also partnering with MedShare USA to train technicians on the maintenance and repair of hospital equipment. The collaboration is expected to ensure sustainability in the use of modern medical tools and improve the efficiency of healthcare services.

Kanu further assured residents that there are currently no reported cases of major public health concerns such as Lassa fever, Mpox, diphtheria, yellow fever, cholera, or rabies in the state.

In a related development, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Enoch Uche, announced plans for a free medical outreach in collaboration with the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas. The programme is scheduled to run from April 12 to 17, 2026.

He encouraged residents to take advantage of the outreach, noting that general medical consultations and surgeries will take place at Aba General Hospital, while eye care services will be handled at the Abia Specialist Hospital and Diagnostic Centre.

Uche added that the programme will also include training sessions for healthcare workers, with medical experts from the United States expected to enhance the capacity of local personnel.