Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has urged communities to take responsibility for protecting newly upgraded primary healthcare centres across the state, warning that vandalism and misuse of the facilities will not be tolerated.

The governor gave the charge on Thursday during the official functionalisation of the Amaokwe Item and Amaegbuato Nkpa Primary Health Centres in Bende Local Government Area.

Represented by the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Ogbonnaya Uche, Otti said the facilities were part of his administration’s ongoing healthcare reforms, which had resulted in about nine primary healthcare centres becoming fully operational in the area.

He stressed that while the government had provided the facilities and equipment, communities must ensure their protection and sustainability.

“Government has provided these facilities; it is now the responsibility of the communities to protect and sustain them because vandalism or misuse will not be tolerated,” he warned.

The governor explained that the upgraded health centres were equipped with essential medical facilities, including ultrasound machines, auto analysers, oxygen units, and laboratory equipment aimed at improving healthcare services for residents.

He added that qualified nurses had been deployed to provide round-the-clock services, while visiting doctors would attend to cases requiring specialised medical attention.

Otti also disclosed that the state government was constructing a specialist hospital at Umunnato General Hospital as part of efforts to further improve healthcare delivery in the area.

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to expanding access to quality healthcare services, especially in rural communities and underserved parts of the state.

The Executive Secretary of the Abia Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Kalu Kalu, said the healthcare reforms were designed to reduce preventable deaths among mothers and newborns.

Kalu stated that the government’s goal was to ensure that every ward in Abia State had access to a functional, well-equipped primary healthcare centre with adequate medical personnel.

The Chairman of Bende Local Government Area, Mr Uwabunkeonye Bassey, commended the state government for what he described as significant investment in the health sector.

He revealed that 16 primary healthcare centres had been approved for upgrade in the local government area as part of efforts to improve access to quality medical services.

Meanwhile, the President-General of Amaokwe Item Welfare Union, Mr Harrison Okorie, and the Women’s Wing President, Mrs Mercy Kesandu-Uko, expressed appreciation to the government for the healthcare interventions.

They noted that the improvements would enhance access to quality healthcare and contribute to better health outcomes and increased life expectancy, particularly among rural residents.