Public officials who travelled abroad for medical care last year cost Nigeria nearly N198.95 billion ($1 billion), the Federal Health Ministry has said.
The revelation comes as the ministry and stakeholders met in Kaduna to articulate strategies for the implementation of the National Health Act whose implementation has stalled since it was signed into law last December.
FMOH Director of Health Planning Research and Statistics, Dr Ngozi Azodoh, said implementing the Act will “restore confidence of those seeking health care in Nigeria.”
Available statistics from the ministry showed that up to 40 medical trips were made to India alone, many of them by public officials at government expense.
“The issue of medical tourism in Nigeria is a great challenge going by what is going on right now it is not what we want,” said Dr Francis Ukwuije, health economist at FMOH and head Healthcare Financing and Equity aspect of the Act’s core secretariat.
“Nigerians are often not satisfied with the quality of care they receive at home due to the quality of personnel and available equipment at health facilities and quality of drug they get. This creates higher fidelity on drugs they get out there even when it is more expensive.”
“The NHA will help us to improve on the quality of services to ensure there is a standard of practice and certification of such standards as recommended by the Act,” said Ukwuije.
By Judd-Leonard Okafor
Daily Trust
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