Nigeria’s Over 1 Billion Dollars Medical Tourism Drain: Now Citizens Call On Government To Rebuild Domestic Healthcare

Sunday, July 20, 2025

It is rather jarring to recognize that galore Nigerian families would recreation retired for treatments that could beryllium managed here. For mean folks, nan reality hits location — erstwhile your loved 1 needs contiguous wellness care, nan closest world-class aesculapian halfway whitethorn beryllium thousands of miles away. Today’s disclosures simply heighten that knowledge. Stakeholders successful Nigeria are sounding nan siren aft experts disclosed that nan state loses $1.2 to $1.3billion to aesculapian tourism yearly. It’s clip for transformative action, authorities officials, business leaders, healthcare unit and mean citizens say.

The Stark Figures and Their Origins

At nan Fourth Annual Public Health Grand Round of nan University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, officials drew attraction to nan expanding travel of financial resources retired of nan country. WHO’s Ondo coordinator pointed that Nigeria losses much than $1.2billion annually to aesculapian tourism.

UNIMED’s Public Relations Officer, Isaac Oluyi, said nan wellness system’s fragility — caused by deficiency of capable funding, predominant strikes and epidemics — is down this wide exodus.

Other participants emphasized nan request for an effective and resilient wellness strategy that has nan expertise to flex successful consequence to shocks and support delivering basal care, including UNIMED acting Vice-Chancellor and Dean of nan Faculty of Public Health.

Who’s Leaving and Why?

A wide cross-section of Nigerians regularly activity aesculapian curen overseas — nationalist officials, able backstage citizens, and moreover middle-class families. Many are for superior illnesses, but much regular ailments specified arsenic malaria and modular room besides nonstop group abroad.

Citing that arsenic a nationalist ugliness Public affairs expert James Osewele demanded a authorities that will prohibit apical authorities officials from seeking aesculapian curen overseas astatine nationalist expense. He said only specified actions will compel leaders to build and put successful section aesculapian infrastructure, citing nan proverbial saying of erstwhile president Buhari’s decease successful London hospital.

Private doctors supported nan claim, suggesting nan $1.2 cardinal fig could moreover beryllium connected nan debased side, pinch existent costs apt to beryllium higher. Dr. Davies Olanrewaju explained that push factors responsible for astir Nigerian doctors overseas see debased salary and mediocre moving environment. Nurse Omoruyi Victoria said nan state that erstwhile hosted overseas royalty now has underfunded wellness attraction and mediocre argumentation implementation.

Unpacking nan Consequences

Economic Waste: Funds spent overseas usage scarce overseas currency, deepening balance-of-payment pressures and contributing thing to nan home economy.

Health Inequity: While privileged Nigerians tin entree overseas treatment, millions astatine location trust connected poorly funded nationalist hospitals, starring to a widening attraction gap.

Human Capital Flight: The very healthcare professionals needed to amended home services are nan ones leaving. With amended salary and accommodation abroad, nan rhythm of under-resourced hospitals intensifies.

Loss successful National Confidence: Citizens turn mistrustful of nan wellness strategy erstwhile moreover nationalist leaders forsake it. It undermines morale among section providers and discourages argumentation confidence.

The Calls to Act: What Nigerians Demand

Experts propose a multifaceted plan:

Ban connected Official Medical Tourism: A binding rule against utilizing nationalist costs for overseas curen by apical officials.

Drastic Investment: Align wellness budgets pinch Abuja Declaration targets (15% of nationalist expenditure). Nigeria’s existent wellness spending remains good beneath that standard.

Human Resources Development: Better wages, moving conditions, and profession progression are basal to clasp doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and laboratory scientists.

Enhanced Financing Models: Adopt community-based wellness insurance, performance-based pay, and strategical public-private partnerships.

Emergency Preparedness & Infrastructure: Strengthen systems from epidemics to regular infirmary functions, ensuring resilience without interrupting attraction delivery.

Return of Diaspora Health Workers: Engage Nigerian aesculapian professionals overseas successful mentoring, part-time roles, and semipermanent return schemes nether WHO-endorsed programs.

Existing Frameworks That Could Help

The WHO has supported nan motorboat of location aesculapian centres of excellence crossed Africa, providing imaginable infrastructures that Nigeria tin pat into. Additionally, initiatives for illustration Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII) and National Policy connected Health Workforce Migration connection frameworks to bring skilled aesculapian professionals back.

Yet, critics reason these plans stay underfunded and fragmented. Discussing nan 2025 budget, Nigeria allocated conscionable 5.18% to health—far beneath Abuja agreements. Meanwhile, anemic superior attraction and underused nationalist security schemes time off gaps that millions autumn through.

Voices from nan Ground

Patients attest to misdiagnoses, outdated equipment, and agelong waits for basal treatments—problems that would apt beryllium avoided if nationalist officials were compelled to trust connected nan aforesaid services.

As Ms Victoria said, Nigerians erstwhile came to nan state for care; now they fly it. Nurse Olanrewaju pointed retired that amended incentives and moving environments successful Nigerian hospitals are captious for reversing encephalon drain.

The Road Ahead: When Will Nigeria Act?

1. Legislative Ban – Enact a rule prohibiting aesculapian tourism for state-funded officials.
2. Health Budget Overhaul – Commit to nan Abuja target; transparently way spending increases.
3. Staff Retention Programs – Launch salary raises, agrarian posting incentives, and profession pipelines.
4. Revamp Infrastructure – Upgrade facilities, modernize equipment, and grow master services.
5. Data Transparency – Monitor aesculapian tourism flows, infirmary performance, and workforce trends.

Closing Thoughts

The $1.2 cardinal sucked retired by aesculapian tourism is much than conscionable a number; it is imaginable lives saved, spot instilled and land-based growth. A patient wellness strategy makes for a patient society.

It is heartwarming to spot Nigerians of different stripes clamouring for change. But existent betterment goes beyond words and requires rule and finance and commitment. With a governmental will and nan correct investments successful place, Nigeria tin rewrite nan healthcare communicative and move its hospitals into sanctuaries of modern, world modular care.