By CHARLES IWUOHA

The Special Adviser to Governor Alex Otti on Health Care Service Delivery, Dr Ngozi Okoronkwo, says that the administration is passionate about upgrading various health facilities across the state to make them more responsive to the health needs of the people of Abia State.

Okoronkwo spoke when she led a team on an assessment tour of General Hospitals in the state on Sunday, including the Umunnato General Hospital, Bende LGA; General Hospital Abariba, Ohafia LGA and Isuikwuato General Hodpital.

She decried the deplorable state of the hospitals, adding that the assessment tour will take the team round the 12 General Hospitals in Abia state for proper attention.

According to her, described as unimaginable a situation where only a medical doctor and three nurses were posted to attend to patients in a general hospital, disclosing that her team will submit report of her findings to the Governor for the next line of action.

She used the opportunity to charge staff of the hospitals to be alive to their duties as the era of redundancy is over.

In their speeches while conducting the Team round the health facilities, the Medical Doctor incharge of Umunnato General Hospital, Dr. Chidi Uwanna; that of Abariba General Hospital, Dr. Genevieve Maduako and their Isuikwuato counterpart, Dr. Okocha Sunday, named poor security, lack of electricity supply, dilapidated structures, obsolete equipment as some of the challenges hindering patients from patronizing the hospitals.

They expressed the hope that the visit of the team will turn the fortunes of the hospitals for the better.

It would be recalled that Governor Alex Otti in his inaugural speech at the Umuahia Township Stadium, promised to turn around the health sector of the state to provide quality health care services to the citizenry.

The Acting Chief Executive Officer, Hospital Management Board, Dr. Charity Egwuekwe and the Director Medical Services, Ministry of Health, Mrs. Rosemary Ajah, joined Dr Okoronkwo on the tour.