The American Hospital Dubai (AHD) has concluded plans to establish offices in Nigeria and eight other African countries, in an effort to end medical tourism in the continent.
The AHD offices in Nigeria, which will contain a representative office, diagnostic centre and a hospital, will be located in Lagos, Abuja and possibly, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Addressing journalists in Port Harcourt on Monday, a prominent investor, Prince Tonye Princewill, listed the eight African countries to include Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Angola.
Princewill stated that the first office of the hospital in Africa will be opened in Lagos on August 12, 2024, adding that the Abuja office will follow suit.
He said: “I have built quite a number of partnerships but I think one of the prominent partnerships that I have built is the American Hospital Dubai. American Hospital Dubai is one of the top hospitals in Dubai and they want to come into Africa.
“I am their partner in sub-saharan Africa and it is my responsibility to take them to Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Angola, you name them. It is my responsibility. So, I am operating with them across Sub-Saharan Africa.
“Their first office is going to be opened on August 12 this year in Lagos. After Lagos, it will be Abuja. In fact, if they arrive here in August, their office in Abuja would be getting set. They want to do it very fast.”
Princewill, however, expressed worry that the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State may hamper the choice of Port Harcourt as the third office of AHD in Nigeria.
He said: “Of course, everybody will say that one of their natural locations should be Port Harcourt, but here I am struggling to convince them that Port Harcourt is the ideal location for them to establish their office.
“I shouldn’t be struggling, it should be a forgone conclusion, but because of the crisis in the state and the information that people have at hand about people in Rivers State, it is in the negative,” he stated.
