Imo State has embarked on a transformative journey to overhaul its healthcare system through landmark partnerships with global medical giants JNC International Limited and Sepat Medical Investment and Management Company. Governor Hope Uzodimma formalized the agreements under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework, marking a pivotal shift toward modernizing the state’s medical infrastructure and expanding access to quality care.
The collaboration, supervised by the newly established Heartland Hospital Management Corporation, will see JNC and Sepat provide cutting-edge medical equipment, technical expertise, and funding to revitalize Imo’s hospitals and clinics. JNC, renowned for partnerships with global leaders like Canon Medical Systems (Japan), Medtronic (USA), and Elekta Radiotherapy (Sweden), will equip facilities with advanced technology. Sepat, leveraging over two decades of healthcare management experience, will optimize operations and manpower training.
Governor Uzodimma highlighted the urgency of the initiative, citing decades of stagnation under a 1978 hospital management law that left residents “languishing and dying from avoidable deaths.” He emphasized that the PPP model would dismantle systemic inefficiencies, stating, “This partnership will halt the ugly experiences of the past—equipment shortages, unaffordable care, and preventable tragedies.”
Central to the plan is integration with the Imo State Health Insurance Scheme, ensuring enrolled residents pay just ₦15,000 annually for comprehensive coverage. The governor affirmed that the partnership would guarantee “quality service at affordable rates,” with private investors funding equipment procurement and facility upgrades.
Uzodimma hailed the agreements as proof of growing investor confidence in Imo, positioning the state as an emerging hub for healthcare innovation. “This is a new dawn—one where our hospitals meet global standards, our people live healthier lives, and Imo becomes a model for medical excellence,” he declared.
