AMCE pledges healthcare partnership with Abia, plans special medical package for 68,000 transport workers

The African Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE) has pledged to explore a strategic healthcare partnership with Abia State and develop a dedicated medical package for more than 68,000 commercial transport workers if discussions with key stakeholders progress.

The commitment was made when the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for the 2027 Abia State election, Eric Opah, led a delegation on a tour of the centre’s facilities.

During the visit, Opah said Nigeria has the capacity to provide world-class healthcare locally and urged greater collaboration between governments and leading medical institutions to reduce dependence on treatment abroad.

“There is no reason for medical tourism when facilities of this standard are available right here,” Opah said, pointing to AMCE’s partnership with King’s College Hospital, London, which provides access to specialist support for complex medical cases.

He said that, if elected governor in 2027, his administration would seek to partner with AMCE to expand access to quality healthcare for Abia residents at affordable rates.

According to Opah, such collaboration would form part of broader efforts to strengthen the state’s healthcare system and improve access to specialist medical services.

The visit also provided an opportunity for the Bureau of African Labour, Human and Democratic Rights (BALHADER) to renew its advocacy for improved healthcare coverage for commercial transport workers in Abia State.

BALHADER’s Programme Director, Comrade Uchenna Uzoije, called on AMCE to develop a dedicated healthcare package for the state’s more than 68,000 commercial transport operators, including taxi, bus and tricycle drivers.

“We have engaged successive administrations in Abia State on setting aside a percentage of revenue collected from commercial vehicles specifically for operators’ medical treatment,” Uzoije said.

“We reached out to every leading governorship candidate ahead of the 2023 election on this. I am glad that Mr. Eric Opah and his team have now agreed to implement these people-oriented policies if elected governor of Abia State in March 2027.”

Responding, AMCE’s Business Development Manager, Gbemisola Ajiboye, said the medical centre already operates a health wallet programme and expressed the institution’s willingness to develop a specialised version tailored to the needs of transport workers.

“We already operate a health wallet package, but the nature of this work demands a version built specifically around it,” Ajiboye said.

She confirmed that AMCE would begin developing a dedicated health wallet product designed for frontline transport operators.

Ajiboye also wished Opah success in the forthcoming governorship election and expressed optimism that stronger collaboration between healthcare providers and government would improve access to quality medical services.

The visit concluded with a group photograph and discussions on potential areas of future cooperation.

Commercial transport operators constitute one of Abia State’s largest informal workforces but often have limited access to affordable healthcare. Stakeholders at the meeting said a dedicated health wallet funded through a structured financing model could significantly improve healthcare access for thousands of workers and their families.

The African Medical Centre of Excellence is a Nigerian tertiary healthcare institution providing specialist diagnostic and treatment services in partnership with King’s College Hospital, London.