Nurses, under the auspices of the University Graduates of Nursing Science Association (UGONSA), have expressed worry that Nigeria loses an estimated $2 billion (N1.1trillion) annually to medical tourism.
This is contained in a communiqué issued in Abakaliki on Thursday at the end of a two-day national conference of the association, held at the auditorium of the Alex Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki (AEFUTHA).
The communique made available to journalists was signed by Chief Solomon Egwuenu and Goodluck Nshi, the association’s National President and National Secretary respectively.
The association lamented the poor global ranking of the Nigerian health sector, which according to the association in the 1960s was ranked among the 10 best in the world.
The communique reads in part: “How do we come to terms with the Federal Ministry of Health’s estimation that Nigeria loses about $2 billion (N1.1 trillion naira) annually to medical tourism?
“It is heart wrecking, especially when it is obvious that this money, if put together over the next five years and deployed for the upgrade of our health facilities, health research capabilities, and healthcare infrastructure, can launch our health system to be among the best five in the world.”
UGONSA regretted that Nigeria’s health system once revered globally, was now being celebrated for its ranking improving from 187 out of 191 countries two decades ago to 163 out of 191 countries today.
“Our hospitals will be fixed to be in the world-class ranking any day our political class starts getting treatment from our hospitals.“It is high time medical tourism became a topic for the acceptance or rejection of politicians at the polls.“The poor performance of our health system in global ranking has never been the fault of our healthcare professionals.