Nigeria loses $2.5 trn annually to Medical Tourism – D/Speaker, Hon Kalu

Jonas Ezieke, Abuja

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon Benjamin Kalu on Friday decried the huge national resources the nation loses to medical treatment of ailments of citizens of Nigeria abroad saying that it gulps $2.5 trillion dollars annually.

The Deputy Speaker also appealed to newly trained and qualified medical doctors in the country to emplace the practice of professional organ transplant in order to fill the gap that exists in the nation’s health sector.

Kalu spoke during a courtesy call by the National President Transplant Association of Nigeria Dr.Olalekan Olatise and members of the association paid a courtesy call on the office holder at the National Assembly Abuja.

He decried the embarrassing situation the country finds itself with issues like organ transplants by ailing citizens and lamented that a huge chunk of the nation’s resources is expended on medical tourism in the United States, United Kingdom, and United Arab Emirate

He said, ” It is an embarrassing situation the nation finds itself in this issue of organ transplant. $2.5 trillion dollars is expended on medical tourism by Nigeria.

“We have exported services to other nations mostly by health professionals. If it is not in the United States, it is in the United Kingdom and even small countries like the United Arab Emirate UAE”

He also said that over 700 kidney transplants had been successfully carried out in the country by members of the Nephrology Association of Nigeria.

He assured that the House leadership would put in place the necessary legal framework for the smooth practice of the profession of organ transplant in the country and other necessary support to the professional body.

Earlier in a remark, the National President of the body Dr.Olalekan Olatise said that the visitation is to seek the support of the House in terms of enabling legislation to practice the profession of organ transplant in Nigeria.

He also hinted that the association is a professional body that is involved in organ transplant for ailing citizens and called for the support of the House to its annual conference holding in Abuja from August 21st- 22nd 2023.