Abia Targets Quaternary Healthcare, Secures Int. Partnership to Build $1.3bn Medical City
CHIGOZIE AMADI
Abia State has commenced the actualisation of its plan to build a medical city where quaternary healthcare services would be provided thereby eventually ending Nigeria’s foreign exchange-guzzling offshore health tourism.
The government announced weekend that it has entered into partnership with MKP International Holdings, a globally reputable engineering procurement construction consortium, to build the Abia State Medical City, Nigeria’s first quaternary healthcare complex.
The State Commissioner for Health, Professor Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche broke the news while conducting journalists on a tour of the 200-hectare land at Mbasaa, near Owerrinta in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area, acquired and cleared for the project.
He said the partnership entails that MKP would finance, develop, build, operate and transfer” the facility, adding that the development partner would invest $1.3 billion in the project.
According to him, Abia’s part of the bargain was to provide land for the project, as well as security and goodwill, which it has done.
“This Medical City is the first quaternary hospital in this country that would take care of all levels of complicated healthcare issues,” Uche said, noting that it ranks as “one of the landmark projects” of Governor Alex Otti.
The Health Commissioner stated the proposed world class medical city would not only reverse medical tourism in Nigeria but also position Abia as a medical destination.
He said that the medical city would sit astride seven communities that contributed the expanse of land on about 200 hectares of land from both Isiala Ngwa South and Isiala Ngwa North LGs.
Uche explained that MKP agreed to fund the project “owing to the transparent record and, of course, the relentless visionary strides of (Governor Otti)”, who was able to attract the world renowned firm.
“The company already wishes to start construction even before the flag off. So, everything is ready and you can see the, very nice landscape,” he enthused.
Professor Uche stated that the idea of Abia Medical City was conceived “because we know that medical tourism is one of the major drivers of capital flight in this country”.
“It is estimated that about 1.6 billion Dollars, which many of us think is too conservative, is the amount of money that is lost from this country every year owing to medical tourism.
“So to reverse that and also to help curb the ‘jakpa’ syndrome, he (Gov. Otti) envisioned the development and establishment of the first quaternary healthcare ecosystem in this country, and that is the Abia Medical City,” he said.
On the envisaged world class status of the medical city, Uche revealed that the complex would have a 1,000-bed ultra-modern healthcare facility that can cater for every healthcare need of the people.
He said: “Apart from the ultra-modern medical facility, there also going to have a tourist city. The medical step-down hotel there will be a five-star hotel, and there will be another five-star tourist hotel.
“You’re also going to have an ultra-modern oncology centre. As you may well know, cancer care is one of the reasons people leave this country for care abroad.
“Whether you are talking about radiotherapy, you’re talking about radiosurgery, radio-oncology, you’re talking about emerging therapies, you’re talking about the neuro chemotherapeutic agents .
“All those are going to be available here with the best-in-class medical experts that can come in from all parts of the globe to be part of the workforce in this place. So this ecosystem will also house a modern surgical center that can take care of laparoscopic surgeries, robotic surgeries.
“It will also take care of all forms of brain, spine, orthopedic, organ transplantation, cardiac transplant, cardiac surgeries, name it, any level of surgery. There will also be a place for cosmetic surgery”.
The Health Commissioner further listed the component facilities of the Medical City to include “an ultramodern children’s hospital, a fertility centre, ophthalmology centre, organ transplantation, diagnostic centre, a hub for digital health technologies, among others.
He stated that the Medical City would also have research institutes that would be affiliated with the best hospitals and universities around the world.
According to him, expressions of interests for partnerships were already coming from top-class universities from the U.S.
“So this is a comprehensive ecosystem that is going to address all aspects of healthcare and promote wellness and good standards of care and living,’ Uche said.
