Group blames dearth of special skills for medical tourism

Medical Association of Nigerians Across Great Britain (NANSAG), has identified the unavailability of special skills in the country as the main reason Nigerians are seeking such services outside the shores of the country.

NANSAG President, Ibrahim Bolaji, who stated this recently in Abuja, disclosed that the body is partnering with the Federal Government to tackle major diseases across Nigeria.

According to Bolaji, the government has identified three different types of diseases, including oncology, cardiology, and nephrology as the major ailment individuals suffer from in the country.

He said: “If we can bring all these experts and those things we are looking for abroad back into the country that will be a discouragement to go away.”

He noted that the collaboration would bring together all the medical professionals in Diaspora to work with local doctors to tackle the menace.

Bolaji added: “The main players are the Medical Association of Nigeria across great Britain, Association of Nigeria Physicians in America, Canadian Association of Nigeria Physicians and Dentists in Canada, Nigeria Medical Association in Germany, Nigeria Doctors Forum in South Africa, National Association of Nigeria Nurses in North America.”

Noting that the group is not coming to Nigeria to train its colleagues, but coming to work in partnership with them, he said the expertise they are bringing will be in clinical, technical and non-technical areas to work with other colleagues to identify the issues in Nigeria.

Bolaji further disclosed that the Diaspora desk will conduct a need assessment in various hospitals using the Chief Medical Doctors (CMDs) to identify areas of need to enable the body populate experts in such areas and bring them to Nigeria.

“The Ministry of Health and the Diaspora desk are the ones on ground that will facilitate our transit from abroad to Nigeria, they will be the ones responsible for logistics, security and to provide insight that some of the experts will need,” he said.