Chief Medical Director, University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan, Oyo State, Prof. Temitope Alonge has revealed that Nigerian doctors contributed largely to the current challenges facing the nation’s health sector.
He said many of them had turned the profession into conduits to milk many unsuspecting patients and the country by extension in the name of medical tourism abroad.
The chief medical director made the observation as a keynote speaker at the inauguration of the Tri-state Heart and Cardiovascular centre at the Babcock University, Ilisan- Remo, Ogun State.
The centre, built by the faith-based university in conjunction with the institute to provide cardiovascular services was put in place at the cost of about N2bn.
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Prof. Alonge at the forum spoke on “The Nigerian Health Sector: Maladies and Remedies.” According to him, many doctors have turned themselves into businessmen and women by using their certificates to pursue overseas treatment for patients that could be treated successfully locally in order to collect certain amount of money as rebate from foreign hospitals they refer those patients to.
He said he knew of some doctors, especially in Lagos, who look for patients to refer abroad for treatment for a fee, noting Terrorism: Buhari, Modi, Africa leaders hold talks in New Delhi that some of them get as much as N5m as commission on every 10 patient they refer to Indian hospitals for renal or cardiovascular- related diseases.
He argued that some of these health challenges could be handled successfully in the country at a lower cost.
The chief medical director however said it was not as if government at all levels should be exonerated from the blame as according to him, apart from their failure to provide state-ofthe art facilities and best equipment in most of the public hospitals, their inconsistent policies also contribute negatively to the nation’s health system.
Also speaking, the former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria and Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi 11decried the ceaseless manner by which Nigerians go on medical tourism even for cases that could be treated locally.
He said it is high time such practice was discouraged in order to prevent unnecessary capital flight.
Sanusi, who was guest of honour at the event, also argued that Nigerians are too religious, reason, he said, many blamed God for the nation’s woes.
In his own remark, former Governor of Osun State, Chief Bisi Akande, who is the Chairman, Board of Trustees, Tri- State Heart Foundation, asked governments, corporate bodies as well as spirited individuals to invest more in the health sector to prevent many avoidable deaths in the country.
By: Tunbosun Ogundare
National Mirror News
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