Collaboration between the government and private healthcare institutions can curb medical tourism, a medical practitioner, Christopher Otabor has averred.
The Founder and Medical Director of Alliance Hospital, while speaking in Akwanga, Nasarawa, at the seventh conference organised by the Association of Nigeria Health Journalists in collaboration with the World Health Organisation.
Otabor said that it was alarming that more than 60,000 Nigerians seek medical treatment abroad annually.
According to him, the drain on national resources and capital flight underscores the urgency required for the private sector to play a pivotal role in reshaping the healthcare landscape.
Otabor listed the numerous repercussions of medical tourism, saying that there was a need for a paradigm shift to curb the escalating trend.
The physician said that the cost-effectiveness of medical procedures in India, coupled with expertise and technological advancements had turned it into a destination hub for those seeking quality healthcare without exorbitant costs.
According to him, factors propelling medical tourism include dissatisfaction with local healthcare services and strikes within the healthcare sector.
He called for a systemic change, adding that the consequences of medical tourism are enormous, adding that some private and government hospitals now have the capacity to provide high-level medical services within the country and should ultimately reduce the dependence on foreign healthcare.
Otabor said that there was a need to address the specific healthcare gaps within the country to mitigate the mass exodus for treatment abroad.
“A comprehensive analysis of medical tourism specialties revealed that cardiac procedures, joint replacements, and complex surgeries like kidney transplants were among the top drivers of medical tourism,” he added.
The medical practitioner advocated for governmental support, incentives such as tax holidays and improved access to finances.
He underscored the need for an enabling environment where private medical institutions would thrive and contribute significantly to healthcare issues.
Otabor referenced success stories of some private medical institutions where intricate surgeries, transplants and advanced medical treatments were successfully conducted.
“These examples served as beacons of hope, demonstrating the potential for the private sector to lead the charge in transforming Nigeria’s healthcare landscape,” he added.
(NAN)
