- Governor Alex Otti is pushing for Joint Commission International (JCI) certification for three major Abia hospitals to meet global safety and quality standards.
- The hospitals include Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH) in Aba, Amachara Specialist Hospital in Umuahia, and Umunnato Specialist Hospital in Bende.
- The state is currently rebuilding and equipping these facilities to turn them into advanced medical centers for the three senatorial zones.
Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has announced a major plan to bring international healthcare standards to the state by seeking global certification for three key hospitals.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the Governor aims to secure the Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation, a global benchmark for patient safety and quality that is currently held by only two hospitals in all of Nigeria.
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While meeting with the leadership of JNCI (a healthcare equipment firm) on Monday, April 27, 2026, the Governor received updates on the redesign and equipping of these centers.
He expressed his determination to avoid any delays, even suggesting that contractors work 24 hours a day to complete the projects.
Alongside the physical construction, the Governor noted that the leadership and management of ABSUTH are being restructured to ensure the hospital runs efficiently once completed.
A significant boost to the project includes the installation of a $1 million MRI machine at ABSUTH, which was donated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Governor Otti explained that advanced services like radiography will be centralized at the teaching hospital in Aba to maximize their impact, while the specialist hospitals in Amachara and Umunnato will serve as high-level referral centers to support the system.
The Managing Director of JNCI, Mrs. Clare Omatseye, praised the state government’s reforms, noting that improvements are visible across all levels of healthcare in Abia.
By pursuing this international certification, the Otti administration hopes to stop the need for residents to travel abroad for medical care and establish Abia as a leader in Nigerian healthcare.
