ANAMBRA HEALTH SECTOR BUDGETARY ANALYSIS: SAVING MORE Lives -Christian ABURIME
Among the critical percentage jumps in Anambra’s 2026 “Changing Gears 3.0” budget, the Health Sector’s 13% year-on-year increase might appear modest. Yet this is purposeful sequencing, not downgraded priority. After almost four years of exponential capital investment (four brand-new general hospitals, 326 PHCs under renovation, a new Trauma Centre, free antenatal care for over 161,000 women), 2026 is the year Anambra moves from construction sites to full operational excellence and completes the last missing pieces of a seamless, life-saving health system.
According to the Christian Aburime the chief press secretary to governor Soludo, the 13% increase is therefore less about new bricks and more about finishing, equipping, staffing, and scaling what has already been built, while adding two crown-jewel projects that will redefine healthcare in South-East Nigeria for decades.
“The administration of Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, has prioritized new healthcare investments, including the completion of the Anambra State College of Nursing Sciences. This state-of-the-art campus is expected to be fully operational by the 2026/2027 academic session, enabling the institution to admit its first set of students and marking a significant milestone in ending Anambra's decades-long reliance on other states for nursing education and training”.
He added that the construction and equipping of the new Specialist Teaching Hospital (with Oncology focus) will also follow. “This will be Anambra’s first purpose-built tertiary facility for cancer care, cardiology, and advanced diagnostics, dramatically reducing medical tourism by Nigerians to India and Egypt.
In the final-phase renovation and equipping of all 326 Primary Health Centres, solar power, boreholes, staff quarters, diagnostic equipment, and drug revolving funds will be fully installed. Every ward in Anambra will have a functional, 24/7 PHC by the end of 2026”.
According to Aburime, Maternal health is crucial to the overall healthcare effectiveness. So, there will be scaling of the free maternal and child health programme. Beyond the existing free antenatal and delivery services (already the most successful in Nigeria with zero maternal mortality in recorded cases), the 2026 budget will expand coverage to free treatment of common childhood illnesses and selected chronic diseases for the poorest families.
Towards optimal operational take-off of the four new general hospitals, full staffing, specialist recruitment, and equipping of the facilities commissioned in the first term will be dutifully implemented. The Soludo administration will also strengthen emergency and referral systems with the expansion of the state ambulance fleet, telemedicine hubs in PHCs, and integration of the Trauma Centre with the new teaching hospital.
As all the above budgetary investments are made, Anambra State will be enjoying a most optimal healthcare efficiency. Near-zero preventable maternal and under-5 mortality will be a reality. With every community now within 5-10 km of a functional PHC and free services for the poorest, Anambra is on course to achieve health outcomes comparable to upper-middle-income countries.
The Governor's Chief Press Secretary, Christian Aburime, said in the face of Nigeria's relentless 'japa' syndrome, Anambra State's strategic healthcare investments will stem the tide of medical brain drain and retain top talent. The new College of Nursing and Specialist Teaching Hospital is poised to reverse the exodus of doctors and nurses, positioning Anambra as a net importer of medical professionals.
He stated that this initiative promises significant economic benefits, including substantial savings for families and the state. By treating cancer patients locally, families can save between ₦15-40 million per case, translating to hundreds of millions of naira in annual savings. This investment in healthcare is expected to boost life expectancy and productivity, fostering a healthier workforce and driving economic growth.
Anambra is set to become a medical tourism hub, attracting patients from neighboring states, including Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo, Abia, and Delta, once the Oncology and advanced-care wings are operational. The 13% budgetary increase for the healthcare sector reflects the government's confidence in its vision for a world-class healthcare system.
Governor Soludo's administration is laying the foundation for a robust public health ecosystem, integrating village-level care with tertiary specialist services. This human-capital investment is expected to yield significant dividends, making Anambra a model for healthcare excellence in sub-Saharan Africa.
By 2026, Anambra will boast of one of the most comprehensive, equitable, and modern public health systems in the region, cementing Governor Soludo's vision of healthcare as the bedrock of economic development and he concluded prosperity.
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