According to Professor Joseph Ugboaja, Chief Medical Director of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, NAUTH, Nnewi, medical tourism overseas is a waste of Nigeria’s resources.
Even worse, according to Ugboaja, is that it undermines trust in Nigerian healthcare, making Nigerian professionals feel less competent than their international counterparts.
During his appearance on CNBC Africa’s Power Lunch West Africa television program on Thursday, the medical expert made this statement while discussing a recent Memorandum of Understanding, or MoU, that was signed between Brazil and Nigeria.
He stated: “Billions of naira are spent annually by thousands of Nigerians seeking medical care abroad. This undermines trust in the local healthcare system as well as the country’s finances.
“We can keep the money we lose to hospitals abroad, which will strengthen the health system and increase our economy.
However, the Nigeria-Brazil partnership offers an opportunity to buck that trend. He clarified that this collaboration could contribute to the expansion of medical tourism in Nigeria.
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