…Health workers partner Cuba on 150-bed hospital in FCT
By Magnus Eze
An unconfirmed government source indicate that Nigerians spend over $40 billion annually on medical tourism, even as the popular opinion is that setting up private health facilities would promote qualitative medical delivery in the country.
According to Director of Medical Biotechnology, National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), Prof. Alex Akpa, “Over $15 million is spent annually on importation of diagnostics alone. Similarly, all vaccines currently being used in the country today are being imported, while we record about 7m births every year. These children born annually need to be vaccinated.”
Yet, Dr. Usman Gimba of the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Abuja, blamed lack of confidence in the nation’s medical services for the spate of medical trips abroad as well as resort to local herbs.
Delivering a lecture at the formal inauguration and induction of the association and members of Private Medical Laboratory Proprietors Association of Nigeria (PMLPAN) in Abuja, Gimba called for outright discouragement of medical tourism because of what he described as minor ailments like “headache, injuries and pregnancy cases, all in the name of seeking for standard treatments abroad whereby we are having more capable hands at home.”
Last year, President Muhammadu Buhari explained why the Federal Government would not ban medical tourism, though he said government will not sponsor any official abroad for medical treatment unless the case cannot be handled in Nigeria.
Represented by the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, at the opening ceremony of the 56th Annual General Conference and delegates meeting of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Sokoto, the president said, “while this administration will not deny anyone of his or her fundamental human rights, we will certainly not encourage expending Nigerian hard earned resources on any government official seeking medical care abroad, when such can be handled in Nigeria”.
Nonetheless, there seems to be a ray of hope as the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) has vowed to confront medical tourism frontally with every resource at its disposal.
The union made history On December 13, when it laid the foundation of a 150-bed specialist hospital in Dakibiu, Jabi District of the nation’s capital, intended to halt medical tourism abroad and provide quality health care delivery to its members.
Daily Sun gathered that the union will likely get technical assistance from a team of Cuban Doctors in the management of the hospital when it is eventually completed.
President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, who performed the foundation laying said the Cuban Embassy in Nigeria was prepared to partner the union in running the hospital by providing them with the technical support and professional manpower required.
Wabba said with the ground breaking for the hospital, health care providers in the country will be fulfilled as they will have a facility that will set standard and ensure quality service delivery and half medical tourism from the country.
As health care professionals, members of the union will have a well-equipped facility to carry out what they preach as well as take care of their own welfare in terms of medical attention.
The labour leader urged the union to be disposed to collaboration with their counterparts across the globe to run the hospital as a world class medical facility, describing it as a health facility with a difference.
He therefore tasked other industrial unions in the country to emulate MHWUN in making investments and stop relying solely on check off dues to run their affairs.
Wabba, who is the immediate past President of MHWUN also enjoined state and local government council chapters of the union to emulate the national leadership by establishing health facilities where the needs of their members can be attended to, stressing that with the nation having the highest mortality rate in the world, all hands must be on deck to provide quality health care for the people.
In his remarks, the visibly elated President of the union, Biobelemoye Josiah said the union planned to construct the 300-bed hospital to give effect to its principle of diversification and not rely on check off dues.
He disclosed that a dedicated account to fund the hospital project estimated to cost the union about N1.2 billion has been put in place, with the sum of N300 million already warehoused there.
According to him, the phase 1 of the hospital consisting of 300 beds is expected to be completed within 18 months.
“We are estimating 18 months for its completion. But we hope and pray that we are able to complete it before that period”, Josiah enthused.
He explained that when completed, the hospital will be equipped with a helipad for emergency medical services, while a staff quarters will also be constructed within the complex.
Addressing members of National Executive Council (NEC) earlier at its meeting, Josiah said the union has also deployed part of its national secretariat to a hotel that will provide quality hospitality services to Nigerians and the entire labour movement.
Meanwhile, the union has also made its mark as a good corporate citizen that is socially responsible and responsive with the construction of part of the road leading to its national secretariat in the Durumi area.
While appealing to the Federal Capital Territory Administration to take up the challenge and construct the remaining part of the road, MHWUN President however, said if the government failed to do it, the union may decide to construct the remaining portion of the road.
It was indeed a day of joy for members of the union, as those who spoke to our correspondent expressed gratitude to God that their future was being assured with the quality of investments and creative actions of the national leadership of the union.