As Governor, I Increased Life Expectancy Of Ndi Abia – Okezie Ikpeazu

Former governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, has said his administration increased the life expectancy of the citizens of his state.

Ikpeazu said his background in the medical field helped his administration in addressing challenges of health for the citizens.

He said measures taken to address health issues he met when he took over the administration of the state in 2015 paid off.

“I take the healthcare and well-being of the people in Abia State very seriously. To increase life expectancy and address the challenges in our healthcare system, we implemented several strategic measures.

“We prioritized preventive measures to reduce the need for hospital visits due to illness. We asked ourselves: how can we secure the health of our citizens to the point where hospital visits for common illnesses become rare? To achieve this, we emphasized health awareness and education,” Ikpeazu said via X.

He listed measures taken by his administration to include employment of environmental health officers who reached citizens in every corner of the state with health education. He said the health education helped in sensitizing the citizens on preventive measures to address some health issues.

He added that his administration built 750 affordable healthcare centers across the state and employed health officers to reduce infant mortality.

Okezie said his administration ensured quality funding for the healthcare centers to ensure pregnant women accessed them free.

“Environmental health officers were engaged to take on the responsibility of raising awareness about preventive health practices.

“When health challenges arose, we sought effective solutions to ensure prompt and proper treatment. We recognized that continued health problems required ongoing efforts and responsiveness. Childbirth and infant mortality were critical areas of focus. We educated pregnant women on utilizing the healthcare facilities we provided.

“The government established over 750 affordable healthcare centers across the state, each managed by community leaders, healthcare professionals, and supported by government funding. This infrastructure ensured accessible and quality healthcare services for all, especially pregnant women.

“We made antenatal care readily available and took measures to protect both pregnant women and their unborn children. All healthcare services for women and infants were provided free of charge throughout the state.”

The former Abia State governor added that his administration also provided comprehensive care package for mothers of new babies across the state in the first months. This, he said, ensured every child born during his administration had equal chance to thrive.

“To support new mothers, we provided a comprehensive care package containing essential items for the baby’s first months. Postnatal care was also prioritized, ensuring that mothers had access to continued healthcare after childbirth. These initiatives ensured that every child born in Abia State had an equal chance to thrive, reflecting the government’s commitment to prioritizing maternal and infant health.” former governor,” Ikpeazu added.