The number of patients seeking specialist healthcare at the already established Medical Centres in Nigeria have surpassed the planned expectations, according to Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, Honourable Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning.
Speaking at a meeting with the team of Nigerian Ambassador to Egypt and representatives of Saudi-German Hospital (SGH) in Cairo, after a previous meeting with government of Kaduna State on healthcare management and operations, Mrs. Ahmed noted that as at 2008 Nigerians spent $1.0billion in medical tourism.
For the earlier meeting they were led by the Nigerian Ambassador to Egypt with accreditation to Palestine and Eritrea, Mr. Nura Abba Rimi.
On the state of Nigerian healthcare, Mrs. Ahmed said: “We are compelled to travel outside our shores for healthcare due to the dearth in professional healthcare facilities and management in Nigeria. This means that we have the capacity to pay for quality healthcare anywhere.
“Why can we not bring these facilities to Nigeria, by government introducing deliberate policies backed by funding, to attract similar healthcare service providers to Nigeria,” she said.
Recalling areas of healthcare that Nigerians seek professional services, the Honourable Minister said: “There are four main areas of healthcare in which Nigerians all over the country seek professional services. Namely, oncology, cardio-vascular, nephrology and orthopaedic medicine.
She told the team that Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) on behalf of the federal government is investing in these areas through collaboration with the Teaching Hospitals and Federal Medical Centres across the country.
“So far, through the NSIA, we have established three specialist centres in Kano, Lagos and Umuahia.
Mrs. Ahmed then invited Mr. Uche Orji, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NSIA, to explain what the Authority have been doing within the healthcare sector infrastructure in Nigeria.
Mr. Orji explained they have commenced the construction of an Advanced Medical Centre in Abuja and have plans for three more oncology centres and 23 diagnostic centres. Furthermore, he also said that there are plans to establish large regional diagnostic centres by supporting third party investors in the healthcare delivery platform in Nigeria, adding that the NSIA is reaching out to co-investors in that regards.
The huge investments are being carried out as the government looks to attract professional healthcare experts and managers into Nigeria, according to Mr. Orji.
He also said that the NSIA is also looking at the co-investors participating in pharmaceuticals and vaccine production in the country.
At the meeting, the Ambassador of Nigeria to Egypt introduced the Regional Director of the SGH Group in Egypt and North Africa, Dr. Mohammed Hablas, and their Chief Business Development Officer, Mr. Mohamed Lotfy.
The SGH Group representatives noted that investment in healthcare is very important for any country.
They indicated interest in investing in greenfield hospitals, and also said that they could invest in ‘total medical city’.
They have, according to them, collaborated with International Finance Corporation (IFC), Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), and the Danish Fund.
They said that, currently, they have facilities in Cairo, Alexandria, Giza in Egypt and in Morocco, and that they execute ‘design, build and operate models.
The meeting was at the behest of the Honourable Minister knowing that the National Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) has been investing in the healthcare sector. This is being carried out in conjunction with how to attract the professional healthcare experts and managers into Nigeria.
Yunusa Tanko Abdullahi
Special Adviser, Media & Communications
To the Honourable Minister of Finance, Budget & National Planning
24th March, 2022
