Doctor – Patient Ratio in ABIA State: An Exhaustive Report, 2023 – 2025
Since assuming office in 2023, Governor Alex Chioma Otti of Abia State has prioritized healthcare reform, with a specific focus on improving the doctor-patient ratio through targeted policies. A cornerstone of his strategy has been addressing workforce retention and recruitment. In April 2025, his administration approved the Abia State Health Workers Salary Scale (ASHWOSS), aligning state-employed doctors’ salaries with the federal Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and Consolidated Health Salary Scale (CONHESS). This 100% salary harmonization, effective May 2025, ensures parity with federal counterparts, directly tackling brain drain and incentivizing medical professionals to remain in Abia. The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) commended this move, emphasizing its potential to retain talent and attract specialists in critical fields like neurosurgery and oncology through tailored incentives.
To further bolster healthcare staffing, Governor Otti’s administration conducted a needs assessment across state health facilities, leading to the approval of 771 new healthcare workers in April 2025. This recruitment drive includes doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and medical laboratory scientists, with immediate funding released for their emoluments. While the exact number of doctors recruited remains unspecified, this influx significantly expands the workforce, addressing gaps in both primary and specialist care. The government has also pledged continuous recruitment until all 948 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) are fully operational, signaling a long-term commitment to workforce expansion.
Infrastructure development complements these staffing efforts. In January 2025, Governor Otti flagged off the construction of 200 standardized PHCs to be completed within 100 days. These centers, designed to uniform quality benchmarks, aim to decentralize healthcare access, reduce overcrowding at tertiary facilities like the Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH), and optimize the distribution of medical staff. The retrofitting of ABSUTH itself enhances training and retention, creating a pipeline for future doctors. By prioritizing rural and urban PHC upgrades, the government ensures healthcare services—and professionals—are equitably distributed across the state.
Strategic partnerships have also played a role. Collaborations with international groups, such as the Revive Medical Team from Belgium, brought free medical missions to Abia in 2024 and 2025. These missions provided surgeries, consultations, and knowledge transfer, alleviating immediate patient burdens while fostering skill development among local healthcare workers. Though temporary, such initiatives supplement the state’s efforts to improve care accessibility and reduce pressure on permanent staff.
Challenges persist, including limited pre-2023 baseline data on doctor-patient ratios and difficulties attracting professionals to rural areas. However, the administration’s systemic approach—combining financial incentives, workforce expansion, infrastructure investment, and partnerships—creates a robust framework for sustainable improvement. Continuous monitoring and transparent reporting will be critical to quantify outcomes, but Governor Otti’s policies mark a transformative phase in Abia’s healthcare landscape, positioning the state to achieve measurable progress in the doctor-patient ratio by 2025 and beyond.
Dr Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke writes the University of Abuja Nigeria
Sources:
Abia State Government press releases (2023–2025),
NMA statements,
The Punch coverage
Official communications from the Abia State Ministry of Health.
