HOW DR. ADAEZE OREH REVOLUTIONIZED RIVERS STATE’S HEALTH SECTOR IN THREE YEARS, EARNING NATIONAL HONOURS
By Emeka Amaefula
The adage that “stars have no hiding place” aptly captures the meteoric impact of Dr. (Mrs.) Adaeze Chidinma Oreh (née Odili) on the health sector of Rivers State. Her entry into the Ministry of Health marked a decisive turning point. Following an outstanding tenure at the Federal Ministry of Health in Abuja—where she distinguished herself in health advocacy, systems strengthening and innovative policy implementation—Dr. Oreh returned home to assume a role of even greater consequence: revitalizing healthcare delivery in Rivers State. Her appointment by then Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike set in motion a strategic overhaul of primary healthcare, while her reappointment by Governor Sir Siminalayi Fubara further affirmed the state government’s confidence in her vision, leadership and results-driven approach.
Under Dr. Oreh’s stewardship, Rivers State has emerged as a national leader in primary healthcare delivery. In 2025, the state again clinched the South-South Zonal Champion title at the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) Primary Healthcare Leadership Challenge Awards, marking an extraordinary third consecutive year of top performance in the rigorous national assessment of primary healthcare systems. The awards ceremony, held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja, brought together federal health leaders, development partners and state delegations to celebrate excellence across the federation. Rivers State’s consistent prominence reflects the depth, coherence and sustainability of reforms instituted across its health sector.
At the 2025 awards, Rivers State delivered a standout performance, ranking first nationwide in key measures of leadership effectiveness, particularly in translating primary healthcare strategies to the Local Government Area level. It also distinguished itself as the only state to score above the national average in nine of the thirteen performance indicators assessed, including functional implementation of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, adequacy of human resources for health, quality-of-care frameworks, availability of essential medicines, nutrition interventions and active executive monitoring of primary healthcare facilities.
Beyond policy and systems reform, Dr. Oreh’s leadership has been defined by compassion and timely intervention. Her swift action to facilitate the payment of a ₦2.7 million medical bill at Meridian Hospital, Port Harcourt, for one-year-old Baby Miracle—whose grandmother had been detained over an outstanding treatment bill—resonated widely as a humane and decisive response that underscored a people-centred philosophy of governance.“Healthcare should never become a punishment for poverty,” she remarked at the time. “Our responsibility is to protect life, especially the most vulnerable.”
Reacting to the historic achievement at the NGF awards, Dr. Oreh described the recognition as a testament to Rivers State’s citizen-centred health reforms. She noted that the award reflected the unwavering commitment of the state government to strengthening primary healthcare as the foundation of the health system. According to her, sustained focus on resilient systems, empowered local leadership and equitable access to quality care has driven the state’s consistent excellence. She added that the third consecutive recognition was both an honour and a renewed call to deepen efforts to improve the wellbeing of the people.
Reflecting on this achievement, Dr. Oreh noted that leadership at the grassroots was central to the success. “We made a conscious decision to take leadership, accountability and resources down to the local government level,” she explained. “Primary healthcare succeeds or fails at the community level, and our reforms were designed to ensure that no ward is left behind.”
Rivers State was among six zonal champions honoured at the event, alongside Yobe (North-East), Nasarawa (North-Central), Zamfara (North-West), Abia (South-East) and Osun (South-West). As the South-South winner, Rivers State received a $500,000 zonal champion award. While Yobe State emerged as the overall national best-performing state with a combined prize of $1.2 million, Rivers State’s three-year run of top-tier performance highlights the strength of the governance reforms and systemic improvements entrenched under Dr. Oreh’s leadership.
Since its inception, the Primary Healthcare Leadership Challenge has fostered healthy competition among states, accelerated reforms, improved outcomes and rewarded excellence in policy design and execution. With total annual awards exceeding $6 million, the initiative has become a catalyst for elevating Nigeria’s healthcare landscape, with Rivers State increasingly regarded as a national benchmark for people-first, results-driven primary healthcare delivery.
According to Dr. Oreh, consistency has been the hallmark of the state’s success. “Winning once could be luck, but winning three times consecutively tells you that the systems are working,” she said. “It shows that Rivers State has built resilient structures that can sustain progress beyond individuals.”
Dr. Adaeze Chidinma Oreh, the first daughter of former Rivers State Governor, Sir Dr. Peter Odili, is a medical doctor, public health specialist and seasoned health systems strategist with extensive national and international experience. Born on 19 July 1979, she earned her MBBS degree from the College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 2003, completed her internship at the Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital, Port Harcourt, and subsequently undertook her National Youth Service Corps.
She holds a Master’s degree in International Health Management from Imperial College Business School, London, and a Master’s degree in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Her professional development includes advanced certifications in leadership, management, safety and quality in healthcare from institutions such as the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the University of Washington and the University of Bath. She is a Fellow of the West African College of Physicians, a Member of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria in Family Medicine, and a recipient of prestigious fellowships including the 2019 Aspen Institute New Voices Fellowship and the 2023 Kofi Annan Fellowship for Global Health Leadership.
Her career spans clinical practice, health policy leadership, planning and statistics at the National Blood Service Commission, and sustained advocacy for universal health coverage. She has led strategic health policy and reform initiatives at federal and sub-national levels, contributed to national policy revisions and consistently championed evidence-based interventions to improve access to quality care.
Beyond government service, Dr. Oreh is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Kaibeya Care Foundation, which empowers women and underserved communities through health, education and economic initiatives. She has served on governing boards and advisory bodies for academic, health and community development organisations, advocating equitable healthcare and capacity building across Nigeria and the wider region.
As Honourable Commissioner for Health, she oversees an extensive network of primary, secondary and tertiary health facilities and training institutions serving a population of over nine million people—about four per cent of Nigeria’s population and among the country’s ten most populous states—while confronting pressing challenges such as low life expectancy, high maternal and under-five mortality rates.
Widely regarded for her people-centred approach, Dr. Oreh champions respectful, accessible, affordable, comprehensive and continuous care, particularly at the primary and secondary levels, anchored on strong community health principles. Her reform agenda emphasises translating policy into tangible improvements for ordinary citizens.
A prolific researcher and advocate of evidence-based policymaking, her interests span health systems financing, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health, mental health and tropical infectious diseases. She has authored more than 450 health policy briefs and analytical papers, contributing significantly to national discourse on healthcare reform and sustainable development.
Currently a Doctoral Researcher at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands and an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at Baze University, Abuja, Dr. Oreh is also an Amujae Leader with the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development. Her leadership training includes public policy credentials from Harvard Kennedy School and an executive programme in Leading Strategic Projects at the University of Oxford, completed with distinction.
Summing up her philosophy in one interview, she said, “Health reform is not an abstract policy exercise; it is about restoring trust, dignity and hope to communities. When people feel seen and served, the system begins to heal.”
Through policy leadership, academic scholarship and hands-on system reform, Dr. Adaeze Oreh continues to shape the future of healthcare in Rivers State while contributing meaningfully to national and global health discourse—reinforcing her reputation as a reformer whose work bridges people, policy and purpose.
— Emeka Amaefula
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