Lagos State commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, has called for a strategic plan to reverse medical tourism and brain drain in the country.
Abayomi who stated this at the one year anniversary celebration of the Duchess International Hospital, in Lagos, said deliberate attempts must be made to complete the recycling, brain gain of medical professionals in diaspora.
He pointed out that after one year of operating in Lagos State Duchess International Hospital is gradually reversing medical tourism and turning brain drain to brain gain in Nigeria.
Available statistics showed that Nigeria is spending $1.5 billion on medical tourism every year. Meanwhile, 10,000 Nigerian medical professionals have migrated to the United Kingdom, while 4,000 of medical doctors are in the United States.
Abayomi pointed out that, “That is exactly what Duchess International Hospital is currently doing. The hospital is a world class health facility that offers the best treatments that can be given anywhere in the world. So there is no need to travel abroad to seek care that can be offered here at the hospital.”
