Abia Moves to Strengthen Primary Healthcare, Emetu Raises Alarm Over Worker Absenteeism.

Abia Moves to Strengthen Primary Healthcare, Emetu Raises Alarm Over Worker Absenteeism.

The Deputy Governor of Abia State, Engr. Ikechukwu Emetu, has expressed concern over the growing incidence of absenteeism among primary healthcare workers, warning that the trend poses a serious threat to ongoing efforts to improve healthcare delivery across the state.

Emetu sounded the warning during the 2026 first-quarter Task Force meeting on Primary Health Care held at Government House in Umuahia. He stressed the urgent need for accountability, discipline, and renewed dedication among health personnel to ensure effective service delivery.

He urged host communities to take greater responsibility for primary healthcare centres in their localities by safeguarding them against theft and vandalism. According to him, active community participation remains critical to achieving sustainable improvements in healthcare outcomes.

The deputy governor explained that the meeting provided an opportunity not only to review activities for the first quarter of 2026 but also to evaluate progress and develop more effective strategies going forward. He noted that reports from the period indicated measurable improvements and called on stakeholders to maintain the pace while striving for higher performance.

Emetu further encouraged residents to make use of designated helplines to report cases of absenteeism and negligence among health workers, stating that such feedback would enhance monitoring and strengthen service delivery across facilities.

Reaffirming the government’s commitment to the health sector, he disclosed that efforts are underway to reposition primary healthcare through enhanced collaboration with relevant agencies, strategic deployment of personnel, and the introduction of incentives to reward outstanding performance.

He added that the state aims to emerge as a leader in healthcare delivery within the South-East and the country at large.

The deputy governor also commended the reintroduction of sex education in schools, describing it as a proactive measure to tackle teenage pregnancy and other related social challenges.

In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of the Abia State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr.Kalu Ulu Kalu, said the meeting reviewed primary healthcare activities for 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, with a focus on identifying gaps and developing strategies for improved performance.

He appreciated the support of the state government under Governor Alex Otti and development partners, noting that their contributions have significantly strengthened healthcare delivery in the state.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women Affairs,Mrs. Oguama Ogechi, described the reintroduction of sex education as timely, noting that it would help curb teenage pregnancy, child trafficking, and other social challenges.

Representatives of development partners, including the World Health Organization, UNICEF, Abia State Universal Basic Education Board, and the National Orientation Agency, commended the state government’s leadership and pledged continued collaboration.

They highlighted the importance of stronger community involvement in protecting primary healthcare facilities and advocated the establishment of zonal centres to improve access to quality healthcare services.

The meeting, which brought together key stakeholders, development partners, and senior government officials, ended with renewed commitments to advancing primary healthcare delivery across Abia State.