‘Nigeria loses $1bn to annual medical tourism’

The Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN) said Nigeria is losing over $1bn annually on medical treatment abroad.

President of AGPMPN, Dr Frank Odafen, made this known yesterday at an event organized to mark this year’s Private Medical Practitioners Day with the theme,” The roles of private medical practitioners in the health economy of the nation.”

Odafen said spending such huge amount for treatment outside the shores of the nation, spelled doom for the health sector and the nation’s economy at large.

He reiterated the commitment of the association to reverse the medical tourism and to make the country a hub of medical tourism for the subSaharan Africa.

“We do realize that over a billion naira is sapped every year by medical tourists to India, Germany, America, China and Dubai. We are determined as a group to help reverse medical tourism which saps the nectar of our foreign reserve,” he said.

Odafen who disclosed that the association is responsible for the health care of over 70% of Nigerians said fund remained the major challenge to spread its tentacles to a larger society.

He therefore sought partnership with the government to reduce child maternal mortality and establish a world centre for health care delivery, where Nigerians, both rich and poor can access effective and reliable health care services.