Imo State is positioning itself as Nigeria’s next healthcare destination, with Governor Hope Uzodimma unveiling an ambitious plan to build a world-class medical city backed by international partnerships and diaspora investment.
The initiative, aimed at transforming healthcare delivery in the state, gained early momentum as the Diaspora Medical Outreach pledged over $500,000 to support medical services and infrastructure.
Speaking at the launch of the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas (ANPA) Medical Mission in Owerri, Uzodimma said the project forms part of a long-term strategy to reduce medical tourism and retain healthcare spending within Nigeria.
“We want to reverse the trend where our people travel abroad for treatment. Instead, we aim to make Imo a destination for medical solutions,” the governor said.
Beyond infrastructure, the state government is also pushing for knowledge transfer, with plans to partner ANPA members to train local health workers and strengthen institutional capacity across the Ministry of Health.
Uzodimma stressed that sustainable healthcare goes beyond short-term missions, urging diaspora professionals to commit to long-term collaboration that builds resilient systems rather than temporary relief programmes.
He pointed to ongoing reforms, including the introduction of a Central Drug Distribution System designed to eliminate counterfeit medicines and improve the quality of care across the state.
The governor also highlighted broader efforts to create an enabling environment for investment, including infrastructure upgrades and policy support aimed at attracting global healthcare partners.
President of ANPA, Dr. Cliff Eke, said the outreach aligns with the group’s Diaspora Health Initiative, which focuses on building sustainable healthcare systems through expertise from Nigerian professionals abroad.
According to him, more than 120 volunteer medical personnel from the United States and the United Kingdom—spanning surgeons, dentists, nurses, and pharmacists—are participating in the programme.
