The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Medical tourism

  • ABUAD seeks to end medical tourism

    •Signs MoU with Dubai hospital 

    Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Aster Group of Hospitals in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) to halt medical tourism by Nigerians abroad.

    ABUAD Founder, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), said the partnership will see the Afe Babalola University Teaching Hospital (ABUADTH) and Aster collaborating in the areas of training, consultancy, and technical expertise and in medical administration.

    The MoU was signed on Tuesday, where it was agreed that Aster will offer short and long terms as well as permanent partnership for smooth take off of ABUADTH.

    Speaking after the signing, Dr. Navin Pascal, who spoke on behalf of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Aster, said Aster had subsidiaries in nine countries and had been receiving patients from over 90 countries across the world.

    He said it was sad that Nigeria loses over 35,000 doctors to advanced countries due to poor remuneration, saying the trend has been affecting healthcare service in the country.

    “Aster has become a referral centre in the middle East. Our partnership with ABUAD will be in the areas of training, technical and administration.

    “What we will do is to train the doctors here so that ABUAD can be self sufficient in having experts that can perform critical operations that can make the rich and middle class Nigerians to see the hospitals as a better alternative.

    “We appreciate the fact that ABUAD is working hard for humanity and Aster partnering with it will bring a paradigm shift in Nigeria’s health sector”, he said.

    ABUAD Founder disclosed that a delegation will leave for Dubai in January 26 to perfect the MoU for enforcement.

    Babalola said: “In this partnership, ABUADTH and Aster are equal partners. Though, we agreed for long and short terms, but the memorandum may be forever depending on its workability.

    “Nigerians can’t afford to be spending so much on medical tourism and I have faith that this partnership will make the country a leading nation in healthcare services”.

    He said the breakdown of medical equipment in critical areas like dialysis, oncology and cardiology was becoming embarrassing,  urging Aster to bring in experts in biomedical engineering to train the experts in ABUADTH to prevent such from occurring in the hospital.

     

  • Doctors blame ignorance for medical tourism

    Doctors blame ignorance for medical tourism

    Some Nigerians travel abroad for treatment out of ignorance, some doctors have said.

    According to them, people do so not because of lack of well-equipped medical centres or indigenous expertise.

    Led by Dr Austin Okogun, Chief Executive Officer of Lily Hospital in Warri, Delta State, they said many of the delicate cases that Nigerians go abroad for can be handled in the country.

    The medics explained what they are doing to convince Nigerians and other West Africans that many of the medical needs that have cost them so much in terms of travelling long distances to Asia, Middle East, Europe and the Americas are available at comparatively lower costs.

    The services, according to the professionals, are qualitative as they could be obtained from any of the ‘strong’ health nations. Lily Hospital, because of the huge investment into technology and engagement of internationally reputed medical partners, has been granted teaching hospitals’status, they added.

    The hospital has become a centre for house officers and family medicine residents training, accredited by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria and the National Post Graduate Medical College of Nigeria.

    Its Consultant Urologist, Dr. Achour, an Egyptian said: “We are able to remove kidney stones, stones of the ureter and all kinds of urinary tract stones, and treat renal complications, to sanitise human kidneys, liver or gall bladder conditions using minimally invasive or non-invasive (cut-less) methods of treatment where patients can be discharged within, as prompt as 24 hours of the procedure, and they return to work within a shorter period than if traditional surgery is performed.

    He added: “We are getting encouraging feedbacks. A patient from Bayelsa State, who had gone for an operation in India was due for another one recently but he got it done right here (Lily Hospital, Warri), at just a fraction of what it would have cost him to return to India. He regretted going to India for the first treatment.’’

    The hospital’s Pediatrics unit once  treated a 26-week-old baby. He weighed 0.59kg and had spent 16 days in one of the incubators, supported by ventilators and CPAPs.

    The consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, Dr. Louis Alekwe said: “Nursing a 0.59kg to survive is a classic record. It means people do not have to get scared and think of distances to travel to save extreme premature babies. There are solutions so near.”

    Alekwe added that the hospital  offers embryo freezing services, adding that a couple can come for IVF and that it has up to four fertilised embryos or eggs. You do not want to put all in the woman, so the experts put one or two in her to grow and be delivered as babies and keep the remaining two in the freezer, he added.

    “In two or three years if the couple  has need for more babies, the stored eggs are implanted into the woman and we nurse the pregnancy to delivery again. An embryo, for the period frozen, experiences arrested development.We have an ongoing case,” Okogun said.

    ‘’At the Orthopaedic unit,’’ Okogun said, ‘’patients get joints replacement, such as the hip joint, and spine surgery, including delicate cases having to do with the neck. The hips can be removed and artificial joints. The eye centre is equipped for laser surgery for people with glaucoma, and so is cataract and retinal treatment.’’

    On the hospital’s target, the CEO said: “We are trying to achieve a reversed medical tourism where, instead of people travelling out at huge cost to seek medical treatment, our operating environment should be the medical tourism destination in-country. Ultimately, we are reshaping the story of Warri. There is strong impression among outsiders that the place is volatile and nothing good can come out of it. In the long run, we are helping to build confidence in prospective investors in diverse sectors to come in and assist development of the state.”

     

  • FG to partner Akwa Ibom to reverse medical tourism abroad

    FG to partner Akwa Ibom to reverse medical tourism abroad

    The federal government is interested in partnering with the Akwa Ibom government on the operations of Ibom Specialist Hospital, Uyo, to encourage Nigerians seek medical treatment at home.

    Health Minister, Prof Isaac Adewole, on an inspection visit to the state government-owned Ibom Specialist Hospital said that with the quality of facilities at the Specialist Hospital, medical tourism abroad could be reversed.

    “Visiting the hospital complex today is an eye opener, there is no such complex like this anywhere in Nigeria,” the minister said.

    He announced that with the proposed partnership, no Nigerian would be allowed to go abroad for treatment on government sponsorship from Jan. 2017.

    “We will partner to make sure that it works and reverses medical tourism. People from Ghana and Togo can come to Nigeria for medical treatment. We will start using this facility. With this facility, no Nigerian will be allowed to go abroad for treatment,” Adewole said.

    The minister warned medical doctors to desist from running a syndicate of sending people abroad for treatment for pecuniary interest.

    Adewole, however, said that individuals could go abroad on their own expenses if they so wish but not on government sponsorship.

    The minister said that the state-owned Diagnostic Centre at Ikot Ekpene would be converted to Lasser Fever Diagnostic Centre.

    He lauded the state government for constructing the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) at Ikot Ekpene to help reduce the pressure on the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH).

    Earlier, the minister and his entourage had paid a courtesy visit on the Governor Udom Emmanuel at Government House.

    The governor had appealed for assistance from the federal government to make the state a healthcare tourism destination in Nigeria. He said that the state government had invested much in the health sector and would like the federal government to help boost the patronage of the Ibom Specialist Hospital.

  • Akwa Ibom Medical City hopes to end medical tourism

    Akwa Ibom Medical City hopes to end medical tourism

    With the ground-breaking of Thompson and Grace Medical City Projects in Afaha Obong, Abak, Akwa Ibom State, it is hoped that the projects when completed would stop Foreign medical trips and create jobs, writes Kazeem Ibrahym

    As part of the efforts to encourage private-sector driven economy in Akwa Ibom State, the State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, has performed the ground-breaking of the proposed Thompson & Grace Medical City projects in Afaha Obong, Abak Local Government Area of the state.

    The proposed Thompson & Grace Medical City projects, according to the Group Managing Director of Thompson & Grace, Dr. Isaac Amos, will amongst other facilities include the proposed Medical University, 505 Megawatts Combined Cycle Power Plant and Parenteral Infusion & Dialysis Concentrate Plant, all to be located in a vast expanse of virgin land in Abak, Akwa Ibom State.

    Dr. Amos explained that when the dream is fully realized, the centre would have reduced the need by Nigerians to travel to the United States of America, United Kingdom, India, China, Germany, or any other nation for that matter, in search of cure and healings.

    He also said no more would the people be victims of preventable, treatable and curable diseases because of ignorance and non-availability of requisite medical training, equipment and infrastructure.

    The benefits people of Akwa Ibom will derive from the projects are enormous according to Dr. Amos. He said the projects will create quality health and education standards for the people, create employment for the youths and medical practitioners, some who currently are forced to serve in other nations and climes.

    Dr. Amos said: “Nigeria continues to experience an acute shortage of health professionals. Emigration of health personnel compounds the problem. A sizeable number of physicians, nurses, and other medical professionals are lured away to developed countries in search of fulfilling and lucrative positions because of our broken health care system, inadequate infrastructure and poor compensation packages.

    “Doctors and nurse also emigrate from Nigeria because of unbearable work conditions. Many Nigerian doctors have emigrated to North America and Europe. In 2005, 2,392 Nigerian doctors practiced in the U.S. and 1,529 practiced in the U.K. increased training of doctors and nurses is not a solution as long as the work conditions remain problematic.”

    An example of unbearable work conditions, according to Dr. Amos, is intimidation and violence directed towards health workers.

    He said: “Our cultural and legal system seem to have no effective answer to this problem. Health care workers therefore prefer to seek employment elsewhere when they are tired of suffering in silence or without remedy.

    “We hope to a reference point in this vital area of health care sustenance for other to follow. Physical and psychological safety of health care workers with zero tolerance for bullying and harassment in the work environment will be one of the priorities of the proposed Thompson and Grace Medical University/Thompson and Grace Health systems.

    “The demand for and consumption of health care services in on the increase. Equally, there is an upswing in the emergence and incidence of new and chronic diseases without a counterbalancing increase in the quantity and quality of health care workers.”

    Emmanuel said the state government had already commenced several ground-breakings in respect of private-driven economy.

    He assured the proprietors of the Proposed Medical City of the state government’s adequate support to bring the project to fruition.

    The governor noted that the project, apart from the medical solutions that the Medical City would bring to the entire African continent: “it is hoped that not less than 35,000 Akwa Ibom State indigenes will assess employment opportunity when the project takes off.”

    Represented by his Deputy, Mr. Moses Ekpo, the governor praised the ingenuity and patriotic spirit of the Group Managing Director of Thompson & Grace, Dr. Amos for siting the project in Akwa Ibom State.

    He said: “I am higly elated that this University is the brainchild of an indigene of Akwa Ibom State; a continued confirmation of the enormous human resources God has endowed our state with. It is also a further testimony to our philosophy of promoting a private –sector driven investment and industrial revolution in the state.

    “From projections, this institution will provide employment for over 100 specialised manpower as well as several unskilled personnel when it goes into full capacity annual production of 96 million bags of infusion and 16 million litres of Dialysis concentrate, running at three shifts.

    “From very reliable sources, I am aware that the Thompson and Grace Group is also developing a fully automated machining and Engineering Industry in this city as it has already done in Port Harcourt. The industry aims to manufacture an unbelievable array of service parts for at least eight sectors of our economy including Aviation and Aerospace, Energy, Oil & Gas, Engineering Industry, Printing Industry, Plastic Industry, Hydraulic and Pneumatic, as well as Automotive industry.

    “Altogether, it is estimated that at full completion and operation, the Manufacturing company as well as the Medical City intends to employ about 35,000 citizens of Akwa Ibom origin and other Nigerians in what appears to be one of the biggest Foreign Direct Investment drives in this part of the world.”

    One of project partners, Prof. Dr. med. Thomas Ruzicka, Director, Department of Dermatology and Allergology, Ludwig-Maximilian University, Munich, Germany, promised to deploy experienced medical experts to support the project.

    Chiedu Ndubisi, Technical Adviser to the Director General of Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) who represented the DG, Mr. Aminu Diko, pledged the support of his Commission to the proprietors of the projects in facilitating their requests to the Federal Government.

    Also the Chairman, Project Implementation Committee of the Proposed Medical University, Emmanuel Uche, said the fact on the ground is that whereas Nigeria has 25 medical colleges and South Africa 8, yet of the 10 best-ranked Universities in Africa, South Africa has 7 and Nigeria Zero.

    Dr. Christian Usungurua, who presented a speech on behalf of the host community, thanked Dr. Amos for opening up the community to the global community.

  • Era of medical tourism over, says Akpabio

    Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Obot Akpabio, is optimistic that Nigerian medical personnel have the capacity to deliver proper medicare if given the right incentives.

    He made this observation when he visited the Ibom Multi Specialist Hospital in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, for medical checkup

    The former governor, who was attended to by the Chief Cardiologist, Dr Venkita Suresh, declared shortly after the checkup, that the era of going outside the country for medical solutions were over.

    “The days of flying outside Nigeria to Europe, America, India and other places of the world for medical attention are over; those days are behind us now. Why would anyone think of flying abroad for medical treatment when the best is at his doorstep? I have confidence in this hospital and that is why I have come to do my routine checkup here, and with the quality of medical personnel here, our people and visitors are surely saved.”

    On his part, Dr. Suresh said “Akpabio has been properly attended to as it is the practice with ISH.We are not surprised that he is here for medical care. People now fly in from different parts of the world to Akwa Ibom for medical solutions, so why would he not be here for his checkup?” adding, “you have got the best in Africa in the area of medicine.”

  • ‘Medical innovations to reduce medical tourism’

    The Chief Medical Director of University College Hospital (UCH), Prof. Temitope Alonge has said latest radio-diagnostic apparatus in the country would help to address the frequency with which  Nigerians seek medical treatment abroad.

    The CMD revealed this while celebrating this year’s International Day of Radiology whose theme was “Paediatric Image” at the teaching hospital in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.

    According to him, radiology occupies major component of clinical medicine in the diagnosis of medical problems and treatments, saying it is the most versatile investigative modality in clinical medicine for radio-diagnosis. He also said that the equipment has reduced the issue of admitting patients unnecessary and has reduced cancer and mortality rates.

    He added that the celebration is to express gratefulness to the inventors of the apparatus to address various medical challenges in the country, adding that the hospital is the first to have patient archival computerised system to enhance medical efficiency.

    Prof. Alonge also stressed that the hospital’s medical services have been extended to other hospitals in the state, adding that the hospital leverages on technology innovations to achieve the feat.

    Also appraising the efficiency of the radiological equipment, the Consultant Radiologist in the hospital, Dr. Mojisola Art Alade said celebrating Radiology is important as it has improved health services.

    She added that X-ray is one of the most 10 discoveries since 1895, even as she said the latest invention can both diagnose and cure ailments such as cancer and other terminal illnesses.

     

  • Nigeria tops African medical tourism to India chart

    Nigeria tops African medical tourism to India chart

    Nigeria is leading the chart of Africans seeking medical care in India, with about 42.4 per cent.

    Others prominent on the chart are Tanzania, Kenya, Sudan, Mauritius, Egypt and South Africa.

    India’s pharmaceutical exports to Africa increased from $247.64 million in 2000 to $3.5 billion in 2014.

    But medical tourism by Africans to India was said to be on the increase due to poor facilities on the continent.

    According to a 2013 statistics (the latest available) released by the New Delhi-based Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), of 275,271 tourist arrivals in India, Nigeria accounted for 34,522.

    The report showed that 42.4 per cent of 34, 522 Nigerians, who visited India, came for medical treatment.

    The breakdown of African tourist arrivals in India and medical treatment percentage is as follows: Tanzania-23,345(18.5 per cent); Kenya- 40,484(9.2 per cent); Sudan-8,778(9.1 per cent); Mauritius-27,418(5.1 per cent); Egypt-15,062(1.1 per cent); South Africa-58,023 (0.9 per cent) and others-67,639 (13.9 per cent).

    The report said: “India, known mostly for its cost-effective medical treatment with high standards in cardiology, orthopedics, nephrology, oncology and neuro-surgery, is suitable for an average African customer, who can’t afford to purchase high-end products from the West.

    “Share of African tourist arrivals in India was 3.95 per cent in 2013, of which 14.2 per cent tourists came for medical treatment, mainly from Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya, Sudan, Mauritius, Egypt and South Africa.”

    It explained why Africans  come to India for medical treatment.

    The report added: “For want of expertise in medical services, finance and governance, health infrastructure in Africa is facing problems.

    “India is one of the top destinations for medical tourism due to favourable climatic conditions, availability of herbal medicines and high quality super speciality hospitals.

    “Traditional and alternative medicines, such as Ayurveda, Naturopathy, Yoga and Homeopathy facilitate medical tourism.”

    To save cost, medical groups in India have been encouraged to set up hospitals and health centres in Africa.

    The report said: “Indian entities have also been engaged in setting up health infrastructure facilities within Africa.

    “In 2003, Apollo group of hospitals was the first private hospital to offer its consultancy services to hospitals in West Africa, Ghana and Nigeria.

    “Apollo has been the project consultant for setting up a 100-bed multi-speciality hospital in Ghana.”

    On pharmaceutical exports to Africa, the report showed significant increase in the last 14 years.

    It added: “It is evident from our analysis that India’s exports of pharmaceutical products to Africa has been significantly growing from $247.64 million in 2000 to  $3.5 billion in 2014.

    “At present, India’s  exports of formulation to Africa are almost five times higher that that of the bulk drugs.

    “From the statistics, India is exporting pharmaceutical products mainly to Eastern region of Africa (40 per cent), followed by Western (25 per cent ) and Southern (22 per cent) in 2014.”

  • Medical tourism bad for our image, says Fashola

    Medical tourism bad for our image, says Fashola

    Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola yesterday decried the practice of flying presidents abroad for medical attention, stressing that the trend diminishes the nation’s image.

    Fashola, who spoke at the inauguration of the 60-bed Cardiac and Renal Centre (CRC) within the Gbagada General Hospital Complex, said flying the late former President Musa Yar’ Adua to Saudi Arabia was a low point in Nigeria’s history.

    “We could have built one with all the petro-dollars. The Federal Government does not understand that it diminishes our image every time the head of government travels abroad for medical care.

    “I’m not saying that all the specialist hospitals should be built here. In most countries, the best hospitals are military hospitals where the President gets treatment. Our military hospitals used to be like that.

    “What is the ailment that a Nigerian president goes to treat abroad that a Nigerian hospital built by him cannot handle?”

    Explaining the need for the centre, the governor said  government should stop sponsoring Nigerians, who are ill, abroad with taxpayers’ money.

    “There were 42 cardiac cases and 28 renal cases that benefited from the gesture of compassion from the Ministry of Health. There were also 11 patients sponsored for kidney transplant, dialysis and post-transplant immunosuppressants at St Nicholas Hospital in Lagos,” he said.

    The governor said the hospital has 24 dialysis bed stations, 20 beds for recovery and general ward use, two high dependency wards with five beds each, four post-surgery beds, two cathlab beds and two surgical theatres built to the most contemporary standard to cater for the critically ill.

    “There are two lecture rooms for students but one of the fascinating facilities is the surgical theatre, where kidneys and hearts can be removed and transplanted.

    “There are cameras fitted into the surgical scumps, which project images and voices of what is happening in the theatre to the lecture rooms on the ground floor. The centre is an extension of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).’’

    On managing the facility, Fashola said Renescor Team, a multi-dimensional consortium of Nigerian and American doctors and nurses, had been engaged as concessionaire, adding that it would manage and maintain the hospital for the next five years with an option of renewal.

    “As at today, we have recruited 32 medical workers who are on ground. Seventeen are local; eight are Indians, seven are Nigerians in Diaspora, who returned home full time.

    “Twelve other Nigerians in Diaspora have signed on to come home on rotation and 50 Nigerian specialists in Diaspora would be coming on a permanent rotation.

    “The negotiations took almost a year but they assured us first that our students and doctors will be able to train here.

    “They also assured me that there will be no strikes in this hospital because critically-ill people can never be left alone.”

  • ‘How to check medical tourism’

    Former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, has urged the Federal Government to provide basic medical infrastructure to reduce medical tourism among the nation’s elite.

    He also said massive infrastructural provision would check the drift of our doctors abroad and entice the estimated 30,000 Nigerian doctors outside to return home.

    Babangida spoke yesterday in Minna, Niger State, when he hosted the leadership of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), led by its National President, Dr. Osahon Enabulele.

    He decried the impact of overseas medical treatment on the economy, saying: “The only way is for the government to provide adequate infrastructure at our various levels of healthcare delivery.”

    The former military leader noted that the number of people seeking overseas treatment should not be taken as a “write-off” for the nation’s doctors.’’

    Dr. Enabulele, who spoke through the NMA’s first national vice-president, Dr. Bukar Garma, said the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the association was in Minna for a week-long annual meeting.

    He said the NMA would provide free services to rural people, adding that such service had been rendered in Lagos, Nasarawa and Sokoto states.

    Enabulele said the association was reaching out to residents of Kuta, Zungeru and Kateregi in Niger State.

  • Medical tourism and our sick health sector

    In the past, India was a country largely known round the world for one thing- its thriving film industry called Bollywood. In fact, for most people, their first idea of what the country looked like, its way of life, culture, beliefs and values, was through its movies which are quite popular in different countries including Nigeria. Indeed, what Bollywood has done in promoting India is a testament to the power of popular culture and the arts, something our own movie industry-Nollywood- should take note of.

    Anyway, these days, India is also becoming well known for something entirely different from movie production and that is medical tourism. Its a growing phenomenon whereby patients move from one country to another for medical care. India’s medical tourism sector is a thriving industry estimated to be worth $2 billion annually. It attracts patients from all over the world (including Westerners with top class health facilities in their own countries) who are attracted by low-priced healthcare procedures, availability of latest medical technologies, lack of long waiting lists and a growing compliance on international quality standards. An estimated 150,000 of these travel to India yearly for treatment for various ailments.

    India’s achievements in this sector for a developing nation, is truly commendable, something we need to emulate in this country. For too long, our health care system has been in a shambolic and sick state. The public hospitals and other health centers are ill-equipped and staffed with workers that are poorly paid and with little motivation. Thus its no wonder that many avoid these places like a bad dream. Instead, those who can afford it opt for treatment in private hospitals when they fall in. While this is more expensive, at least, the good ones are better equipped and you get better treatment from the staff.

    However, since a vast majority of the citizens are too poor to afford expensive private healthcare, it’s thus necessary for the public health sector to be revamped. Like many other aspects of our national life, this vital sector has been neglected by successive governments over the years.

    Besides corruption, one reason adduced for this neglect, is because most of our leaders and top government functionaries and their families don’t use these local health facilities. When they fall ill, they jet out of the country to Germany, the U.S, U.K, France and other Western nations with good quality healthcare.

    But recent events in the country indicate that our leaders need to have a rethink about their attitude towards our healthcare system. With some public officials like governors being afflicted

    with serious ailments and are missing from their duty posts and others involved in road accidents and other crashes, does it not occur to them that the time has come for our health sector to be fixed? As they might need its services one of these days? For one important aspect of treatment especially for accident victims is time- if treatment gets to the patient on time, his life or maybe a limb could be saved.

    This might not be the case for instance, when the patient has to be flown abroad for treatment. While he is waiting for an air-ambulance to be procured, foreign currencies raised and other things one needs for a foreign trip, his health could deteriorate and become untreatable and maybe result in death.

    Does it not therefore make sense to have these facilities locally so treatment can be easily got without all the stress and delay of foreign travel?

    These leaders indifferent attitude in providing good healthcare facilities for the nation’s citizens is encapsulated in an African proverb which states: “Those who throw stones in the market place don’t realize that it could fall on their relative!”

    Well, that says it all.