By Hassan Zaggi
The President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Prof. Bala Audu, has emphasized the need for collaboration between the private health care providers who have made remarkable contribution to the delivery of high-quality services to Nigerians and governments at all levels.
This, according to him, will reduce medical tourism to the barest minimum and also improve the general health and well-being of all Nigerians.
He made the call when he paid a familiarization visit to the Medical Director of Alliance Hospital, Dr. Christopher Otabo, in Abuja, yesterday.
Prof Audu reiterated that the focus of the NMA is to ensure that Nigerians from all parts of the country have access to qualitative and affordable health care services.
He applauded the Alliance Hospital and other private healthcare facilities in the country for providing patient-centered care and their success in specialized medical treatments.
“There is the need for the government to provide funding at a reasonable interest rate for them to obtain state-of-the-art equipment in their hospitals,” Prof. Audu said.
This support, according to him, would help transform Nigeria into a hub for medical tourism, hence, reversing the trend of Nigerians seeking medical care abroad.
He further commended the Hospital for its role in creating job opportunities and attracting international patients, pointing out “that Alliance Hospital provides high-quality, culturally acceptable care at a lower cost, which should encourage Nigerians to utilize domestic health services.”
Prof. Audu further noted that: “We have very strong institutions like yours (Alliance Hospital) in the private sector.
“We can work together, especially in terms of reversal of medical tourism.”
Speaking, the Medical Director of Alliance Hospital, Dr. Christopher Otabor, disclosed that his hospital has made huge contributions in combating medical tourism in Nigeria.
“It is an honor to have the National President of NMA visit us. Your leadership brings a new era of excellence. Gone are the days of politically motivated NMA presidents; now, we have leaders of true intellect and character.
“Founded in 2011, Alliance Hospital has as its cardinal vision- to curb the exodus of Nigerians seeking medical treatment abroad.
“We established this hospital to provide solutions rather than just discussing problems. We conduct approximately 60 joint replacement surgeries and numerous spine surgeries annually. Recently, we celebrated our first IVF triplets, and we’ve had patients come from abroad, including a woman from Canada who successfully underwent IVF here.
“We are a top center for kidney transplants, and our capabilities in joint and spine surgeries are well-recognized,” Dr. Otabo said.
The Alliance Hospital boss, therefore, expressed his commitment to advancing Nigeria’s medical landscape and reduce to the barest minimum medical tourism through the provision of world-class healthcare locally.
