Nigeria spends $2.5bn on medical tourism in 5yrs, India takes 50% –WTO

In the last five years, Nigerians have spent at least $2.5 billion on medical trips to hospitals and medical centres outside the country.

Of this amount, India has the lion share of 50 per cent, followed by Germany and the United Kingdom.

According to a study by the World Tourism Organization (WTO) this aspect of tourism is a negation to the growth of the industry.

In its latest report, made available to Ripples Nigeria, on Monday, a breakdown of the figure shows that most trips that Nigerians make, aside official or business connections, have had to do with health-related issues.

“Some minor ailments, which would have received attention locally are referred to other countries irrespective of their lack of expertise to handle such”, said the report.

A spokesman for the organisation, Robert Ormat, quoted the president of the body as having said that growth of tourism in many developing countries had been undermined by factors, including insecurity, poor tourist facilities and harsh economic conditions.

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Nigerian Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, at a recent meeting with the Indian High Commissioner in Nigeria expressed desire for both countries to find solution to lopsided medical tourism in favour of the former.

But analysts are of the view that government neglect of the health sector has contributed to the increasing rate of Nigerians looking outside for solutions to medical problems that could have been resolved locally.

Said a consultant with the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), “There is no cure for any ill health that can be obtained from India that Nigerian medical personnel cannot offer, but lack of facilities to achieving such feats is the issue.

“There have been cases when a failed medical trip abroad are referred to the Nigerian teaching hospitals, but even if cure is obtained, nobody goes to the media to celebrate that unlike what happens in other countries,” she said.
By Emma Eke….

 

 

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