Nigeria is losing an estimated N175 billion annually to medical tourism, the Former Minister of Health, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, has revealed.
The former Minister stated this at opening ceremony of the 2017 Faculty of Clinical Sciences 10th Faculty Week & Scientific Conference, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, on Tuesday, with theme: “Medical Tourism in Nigeria”.
According to him, the wasted fund was more than 50 per cent of the proposed total budget for 2018 for the federal health sector.
According to him, the health sector is being denied the much needed funding which is affecting its development.
“Skill proficiency becomes a victim as both trainers and trainees are not exposed to enough cases and of course quality of care ultimately suffers,
” As outbound medical tourism gradually becomes the preference of patients, the local sector loses the confidence of the populace resulting in low esteem and loss of morale among the health personnel, ” he said.
He called on federal government to support the health sector by providing standard medical equipment that will compete with those found outside Nigeria, so that people will partronise local medical facilities, Worldstage reports.
