The Concerned Abia Professionals has announced the commissioning of ‘Abia Care Centre’, a 50-bed ultra-modern isolation centre with a functional molecular laboratory fully built and equipped by the group.

This was contained in a statement the CAP made available to journalists on Tuesday, and signed by one of its Project Implementation Committee members, Mrs. Mary Ikoku.

According to it, the event will hold on Sunday, October 11, 2020 at the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, Abia State, by 12:00 noon.

“To commission the project is the Minister of State for Health, Senator Adeleke Mamora, while Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, is the chief host,” the statement read.

It also read: “The aim of the project is to ensure Abia citizens get adequate emergency healthcare services in the event of a pandemic as well as to guarantee the state's readiness for any eventuality from COVID-19 in the state.

“The health facility will also assist the state government in the fight against the pandemic.”

Expected at the events are Abia dignitaries including representatives from Abia-American Health Systems Inc., Abia State National Association of North America, among other organisations.

The Abia Care Centre project, according to the statement, is dedicated to all those who have lost their lives during the pandemic.

“The general public are cordially invited to witness the commissioning of the 50-bed ultra-modern isolation centre,” it added.

Meanwhile, the Project Initiator, Ngozi Ekeoma, said, "This project is a clear demonstration of the deep love we have for our state. This project presents to all of us a benchmark for the replication of many more of this type of partnerships for the betterment of our people.

She commended the support received so far from Abia State indigenes, saying that her interactions in the cause of executing the project had shown that the indigenes were willing to participate in the state’s development.

“May this also encourage us to work with government to create enablers that would help us bring our wealth home. As they say, Ka Aku ru ulo,” Ekeoma stated.

On his part, the Project Implementation Committee Chairman, Johnson Chukwu, said, "Initially, we contemplated setting up a temporary tent. We, however, decided against it for a permanent structure that will not only serve for the treatment of COVID-19 patients, but will also be deployed to cater for other medical services in future."

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