Stakeholders in Nigeria’s medical sector have called for stronger collaboration with expatriate healthcare professionals and Nigerian specialists in the diaspora to strengthen the country’s health system, reduce medical tourism and improve access to world-class specialist care.

The call came during a familiarisation visit by a delegation from the African Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE), Abuja, to the Gateway Medical Centre of Excellence (GMCE), Abeokuta, Ogun State, where both institutions discussed partnerships in specialist healthcare delivery, research, diagnostics, training and referral services.

The proposed collaboration is expected to strengthen specialist healthcare delivery, enhance knowledge sharing, expand research opportunities and improve patient care across the region.

AMCE’s Director of Business Development, Mrs Kehinde Oyesiku, said the institution has successfully attracted Nigerian medical professionals back from the United Kingdom (UK) and other countries as part of efforts to build local specialist capacity.

She stressed that quality healthcare depends not only on advanced equipment but also on skilled personnel.

According to her, AMCE currently employs over 50 expatriates from different countries while also recruiting experienced Nigerian specialists from the diaspora, including the centre’s chief nursing officer, who she said returned from the UK’s National Health Service after over two decades, alongside several other specialists.

Also, the Chief Medical Officer, Dr Aisha Umar, said the visit formed part of the hospital’s strategy to build partnerships with leading healthcare institutions across Africa to improve patient outcomes and expand access to quality specialist care.

She explained that collaboration between the two institutions would strengthen specialist care, reduce diagnostic delays, promote research and training, and help address both medical tourism and the migration of healthcare workers.

For her part, the GMCE Administrator, Dr Sunday Clement, said the hospital was established to provide comprehensive, specialised and patient-centred healthcare comparable with international standards.

According to him, a world-class healthcare environment with advanced technology and the right workforce would significantly reduce medical tourism and encourage Nigerian healthcare professionals overseas to return home.

He disclosed that the hospital was investing in modern medical equipment while implementing measures to attract, reward and retain skilled healthcare professionals.

Meanwhile, the Group Executive Director, Finance, PAC Holdings, Mr Nentok Gomwalk, said the organisation invested in the project after recognising the enormous amount Nigerians spend annually on medical treatment abroad.

He noted that a significant proportion of foreign exchange requests had previously been linked to overseas medical treatment, describing it as evidence of the urgent need to develop world-class healthcare services within the country.