The Imo State Government has transferred the ownership of the State General Hospital, Okigwe, to the Federal Government to serve as the immediate operational base for a newly approved Federal Medical Centre (FMC).
The transition was finalised during a courtesy visit to Owerri by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, who traveled to the state for the formal signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
The establishment of the new health facility follows a major structural overhaul of federal medical infrastructure within the state.
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The initial Federal Medical Centre in Owerri was recently upgraded and converted into a Federal Teaching Hospital to serve as the clinical training base for medical students at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO).
To prevent a vacuum in secondary and tertiary healthcare delivery for everyday residents, the state administration moved to establish a replacement facility.
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Governor Hope Uzodimma explained that ceding the Okigwe general facility to the center was a necessary sacrifice made in the overriding public interest to guarantee an immediate, hitch-free takeoff for the incoming federal institution.
Healthcare workforce
Under the terms of the newly ratified MoU, the federal government will assume complete control over both the assets and the liabilities of the Okigwe medical facility.
Significantly, the agreement includes the complete absorption of the hospital’s existing workforce into the federal civil service.
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Uzodimma expressed profound satisfaction with this arrangement, noting that the federal takeover of the local staff answers a critical appeal made by his cabinet to safeguard local healthcare jobs and maintain continuity of care.
Uzodimma extended his gratitude to President Bola Tinubu and the leadership of the health ministry for their consistent backing of the state’s welfare programs.
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He stated that the presidency has shown exceptional responsiveness by repeatedly greenlighting vital intervention projects, financial support packages, and structural requests submitted by his team.
The governor praised the president’s focused approach toward clearing critical infrastructure gaps and boosting institutional development.
He added that the collaborative expansion of medical centres remains a major win for the long-term well-being of the entire country.
