Uzodimma Tasks New IMSUTH Board to Make Imo Centre for Medical Tourism

Governor Hope Uzodimma has tasked the newly inaugurated Board of the Imo State University Teaching Hospital (IMSUTH) with positioning Imo State as a premier destination for medical tourism in Nigeria.

In his remarks during the inauguration of both the IMSUTH Board and the Imo State Universal Basic Education Board (IMSUBEB), Governor Uzodimma emphasized the critical importance of health and education to the well-being of the people. He noted that these sectors were key drivers for the development of the state, prompting his administration’s swift intervention upon assuming office in 2020.

Governor Uzodimma highlighted that significant progress has been made in revitalizing IMSUTH, the state’s only tertiary hospital, which had been in a state of disrepair before his administration’s intervention. He expressed pride that the hospital now ranks among the country’s leading teaching hospitals.

He lamented the preventable deaths in Nigeria, attributing the high mortality rate—about 70%—to inadequate healthcare systems. He stated, “Much of such deaths would have been avoided with the presence of good primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare institutions.”

The Governor revealed that his administration has invested over N4 billion in rehabilitating IMSUTH’s facilities, procuring medical equipment, and attracting qualified professionals both locally and internationally. He urged the IMSUTH Board, led by Dr. Emmanuel Ogueri, to use their expertise and experience to transform the institution into a center for medical excellence and reduce the need for Nigerians to seek medical care abroad.

“This is your own. Help to stop the medical tourism in Imo. Bring back here your wealth of knowledge and experience. Unless we are healthy, there won’t be development,” Uzodimma said.

The Governor also encouraged collaboration between the IMSUTH Board and the hospital’s management, assuring them of government support to fulfill their mission.

In his address to the Imo State Universal Basic Education Board, chaired by Hon. Chidiebere Egbo, Governor Uzodimma emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability in managing resources. He pledged that the state government would publish the board’s monthly reports for public viewing.

“Your failure is our collective failure; and your success, our collective success. Be wary of those who will tell you it is now your turn, because it is not your turn, but the turn of Imo people. Change the story, rebuild the schools, and go and serve as servants,” he charged.

Dr. Ogueri, on behalf of the IMSUTH Board, thanked the Governor for his trust and pledged to work towards providing world-class medical services, including complex surgeries and organ transplants, to attract medical tourists back to the state.

Hon. Egbo, Chairman of the IMSUBEB, praised the Governor’s efforts in improving the education sector and vowed to align with his vision to enhance the quality of basic education in Imo, ensuring the board carries out its duties with responsibility and commitment.