In a bold move to stem the tide of Nigeria’s offshore health tourism, Abia State has unveiled plans to develop a world-class quaternary medical city, a first-of-its-kind in the country.
This ambitious $1.3 billion project, in partnership with global engineering and construction consortium MKP International Holdings, is set to position Abia as a major hub for advanced healthcare services in West Africa.
Speaking during a media tour of the 200-hectare site at Mbasaa, near Owerrinta in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area, Abia State Commissioner for Health, Professor Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, detailed the scope of the project and the roles of each party involved.
“The Medical City is the first quaternary hospital in this country that would take care of all levels of complicated healthcare issues,” Uche stated, describing the initiative as “one of the landmark projects” of Governor Alex Otti.
Under the agreement, MKP International will fully fund, construct, develop, and operate the facility, eventually transferring ownership to the state.
The state government’s responsibility includes providing the land, securing the area, and extending goodwill to facilitate development.
“This Medical City… would not only reverse medical tourism in Nigeria but also position Abia as a medical destination,” the Commissioner emphasized.
Uche explained that the land, which spans across seven communities in both Isiala Ngwa South and Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Areas, had already been acquired and cleared.
He highlighted the significance of the project in curbing the country’s massive capital flight due to health-related travel abroad.
“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,” he noted.
“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.”
The medical city, according to Uche, will feature a 1,000-bed hospital equipped to handle complex medical procedures and health conditions.
The project will also include an extensive array of medical and hospitality infrastructure.
“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,” Uche said.
He outlined additional facilities, including “an ultra-modern oncology centre,” which would be fully equipped for cancer treatments such as radiotherapy, radiosurgery, and emerging therapies.
“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,” he added.
Furthermore, the medical complex will host a high-tech surgical center offering services such as robotic and laparoscopic surgeries, brain and spinal operations, cardiac surgeries, and organ transplants.
“There will also be a place for cosmetic surgery,” Uche confirmed.
Among other specialized units, the complex will house a children’s hospital, fertility and ophthalmology centers, an organ transplantation facility, and a digital health technology hub.
It will also serve as a center for medical research.
“The Medical City would also have research institutes that would be affiliated with the best hospitals and universities around the world,” the Commissioner said.
“Expressions of interests for partnerships were already coming from top-class universities from the U.S.”
Summing up the vision, Uche described the Abia Medical City as “a comprehensive ecosystem that is going to address all aspects of healthcare and promote wellness and good standards of care and living.”
