‘Shun medical tourism, have confidence in Nigerian hospitals, Health Minister begs Nigerians

R-L:  Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, MD, FMC, Ebute Meta, Dr Ademola Dada, and Mr. Ganiu Useni

The Minister of State for Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire,  yesterday urged Nigerians to shun overseas medical tourism and have confidence in the country’s health facilities, particularly the Centres with improved quality service.

Ehanire, who made the call yesterday while on a working visit to Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Ebute Metta, Lagos, boasted that most Nigerian hospitals have improved significantly.

“You will be pleasantly surprised that Nigerian hospitals can deliver much of what they could get abroad.”

Expressing satisfaction with the level of improvement at the hospital, he said Federal Medical Centre, Ebute Metta was one of the high performing medical centres across Nigeria. According to him, the hospital has increased their outpatient visits by 18, 0000 over the last one year and it is still rising.

“They have already introduced the digital medical system.

He encouraged Nigerians to patronise the hospital first before deciding to go abroad for treatment; if there are needs for that.

“This tertiary institution has improved quality of service delivery, together with a clean environment. The patients are treated with respect and there are a lot of patients’ safety measures here.

On what the government is doing to reduce the level of medical tourism, the Minister said the government is trying to reduce it by improving on the healthcare service delivery through provision of a conducive atmosphere where services are rendered, providing equipment and also improve the level  of confidence and trust that people have in the system

He said:”That is one of the reasons I am here today to encourage this hospital because they are among those contributing to deliver improved services in Nigeria.

“Once Nigerians begin to know that you have high standard of care in some of our hospitals they will consider trying our hospitals first before embarking on medical tourism.