Coupled with deplorable health infrastructure, this has put the country’s health sector in the red. Uche Ojinmah, earlier in the year, said 5,600 medical doctors left Nigeria for greener pastures abroad in the last eight years. President, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr. This is nearly 20 per cent of the total government spending on the public health sector for the year, including salaries of all public sector doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers, as well as other health programmes like malaria, tuberculosis, polio and Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) prevention. This is about N117 billion less than the estimated N1.17 trillion allocated to the health sector in the 2023 budget.Īlso, a Price Waterhouse Coopers report states that Nigerians spend $1 billion yearly on medical tourism, with 60 per cent of that on four key specialties: oncology, orthopedics, nephrology and cardiology. More reasons have emerged showing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other political office holders may continue to travel abroad for medical treatment, following the footsteps of former President Muhammadu Buhari.Īnalysis showed that after spending N3.66 trillion in six years on budget for the health sector, the country lost more than N900 billion yearly to medical tourism, while over 6,000 doctors, 400 medical consultants and 57,000 nurses left the country for greener pastures in last eight years.įurther breakdown showed only 20 per cent of the 10,000 Primary Health Care centres (PHCs) the Federal Government, under Buhari, promised to refurbish in 2015 has the capacity to provide basic emergency obstetrics services, after over N1.95 trillion investment.Īccording to the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), about N900 billion ($1.2 billion) is lost to medical tourism yearly in Nigeria, an amount that could have been invested in development of the country’s health care system and the country. Govt should set up national action committee to implement research findings, says Adegboro.Six regional teaching hospitals should be supported for cutting-edge medical services to reduce medical tourism, says Salako.Regenerative medicine has potential to revolutionise healthcare in Nigeria, says Ikudayisi.Strengthen PHC, ensure effective utilisation of lean resources, adopt sustainable health care financing, Adeyanju advises.Adequate attention to financing pivotal to improved healthcare in Nigeria, says Idoko.Experts insist on increased funding for health to at least 15% of yearly national budget in line with Abuja Declaration 2001.Only 20% of PHC centres has capacity to provide basic emergency obstetrics services after over N1.95tr investment.Over 6,000 doctors, 400 medical consultants, 57,000 nurses left country for greener pastures in last eight years.
After spending N3.66tr in six years on budget for sector, country loses more than N900b yearly to medical tourism.
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