Nigerians spend N250bn on medical tourism yearly – Committee

Medical bills of Nigerians that go abroad on health grounds amount to more than N250 billion annually, the Secretary of the Organising Committee of the Nigerian Centenary Charity Ball, Dr. Kingsley Esegbue, has disclosed.

'It is estimated that Nigeria spends N250bn annually on foreign medical care. This is not good for our country, he said.'

Esegbue spoke on behalf of the committee at a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday.

He also said that the committee was planning to generate about N8bn for medical facilities in the country.

In his view, such capital flight was unnecessary for a developing country like Nigeria.

He urged Nigerians to reconsider their penchant for foreign hospitals at the detriment of Nigeria's.

He explained that the medical problems that caused these medical flights could be handled in Nigeria if the facilities were put in place and maintained.

While arguing that Nigeria is blessed with enough manpower in the healthcare sector, he said what was required was for the country to build enough facilities to keep the professionals busy.

He said, 'Sealing a hole in a child's heart need not cripple the parents financially or take place in India; replacing a damaged kidney should and can be done within our borders.

'Every breast, cervical or prostate cancer patient should have access to quality care within Nigeria.

'Our neurosurgery units need to serve the Nigerian people; no woman should have her bladder torn giving birth and for victims of cruel acid attacks, re-constructive surgery should be done within our borders.'

He said this was what the Nigerian Centenary  Charity Ball hoped to achieve by equipping existing National Referral Centres for heart, kidney diseases, neurosurgery, cancer care and management.

He added that the initiative 'intends to galvanise all Nigerians including Nigerians in the Diaspora for a common good, as our collective gift to Nigeria on her years anniversary.

'We will like to emphasise that in organising the Nigerian Charity Ball, we have chosen to be politically blind because what is at state is our health as a people.'