Monarch Unveils Abuja Advanced Physiotherapy Clinic cEMedical Tourism

The Emir of Argungu Emirate in Kebbi State, Alhaji Samaila Mera, has inaugurated the NOHSONIC Physiotherapy Clinic in Abuja, a state-of-the-art physiotherapy and rehabilitation centre equipped with advanced treatment technology.

Founded by a Neurophysiotherapist and Non-communicable Disease prevention and control expert, Dr Kingsley Nwankwo, the facility is purposed to expand access to specialised care, reduce dependence on medical tourism and support efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system.

Inaugurating the clinic in Abuja on Monday, Emir Mera said the facility would improve access to quality physiotherapy and rehabilitation, enabling more Nigerians to receive specialised treatment locally rather than travelling abroad.

The traditional ruler, who spoke after going round the clinic, said it houses equipment comparable to that many Nigerians travel overseas to access.

“I’ve been around the clinic, and what I saw is really pleasing. Most of what we see and experience when we go outside for treatments like this is here now, and this will go a long way toward providing cheaper, warmer care to Nigerians from all walks of life.

“The proprietor mentioned he’s doing this with the intention of supporting and helping every Nigerian get access to recover from a stroke, pain or whatever they suffer from as easily and cheaply as possible, and the care they provide here is very difficult to access outside.

“Some people cannot even walk, some cannot stand. It takes a long time to get permission to travel from embassies and airlines. Having a centre like this in Abuja and hopefully closer to our states is a wonderful opportunity for all Nigerians.

“I’m really happy with what I saw, and I believe we are turning the page for all Nigerians to receive the care we need within the shortest time and at the cheapest possible rates,” he said.

Also speaking, Registrar of the Medical Rehabilitation Therapists Registration Board of Nigeria, Prof. Ahmad Alkali, said the clinic would complement ongoing government efforts to bridge gaps in physiotherapy and rehabilitation across the country.

Alkali stated that the country recently completed a national assessment under the World Health Organisation’s Rehabilitation 2030 programme, which showed significant deficiencies in service delivery.

The Federal Government is expanding access to rehabilitation by integrating the services into primary healthcare while strengthening secondary and tertiary health facilities.

“Nigeria has just completed the process of situation assessment, and what was found was that there’s a huge gap in service delivery.

“The government is doing its best to expand the services by increasing the number of secondary and tertiary hospitals and also implementing the integration of rehabilitation into primary healthcare, which is going to help identify people at the grassroots who need those services and refer them to secondary and tertiary facilities.

“But because the number is huge, the public facilities alone will not be able to cater for everyone. Therefore, this centre will complement the government’s efforts to provide services for people at the secondary and tertiary levels of care. So this is a very wonderful development.

“We appreciate what has been done because what has been invested here, if invested in other businesses, could probably have produced double or triple the profit. But investing in health means the person has humanity in mind, and that’s very commendable.”

In his remarks, Founder and Managing Director of NOHSONIC Physiotherapy Clinic, Dr Nwankwo, said the facility was established to enable Nigerians to access world-class physiotherapy and rehabilitation without travelling overseas, thereby addressing the issue of medical tourism.

According to him, poor access to modern equipment remains a major challenge despite the availability of skilled physiotherapists in the country.

“NOHSONIC is something that I’m passionate about. It’s a dream that I’ve lived for years, and to the glory of God, it’s coming to fruition now.

“Every day of my life, I meet people with one disability or another, and it gives us concern—not because of lack of expertise, but because of inadequate equipment and limited options for improving recovery. We thought, why not bring this equipment into Nigeria? We can rehabilitate patients comfortably here.

“People suffer spinal injuries, disc problems and different kinds of pain. Instead of losing billions annually through medical tourism for services that can be provided here, let’s bring them home,” he said.

Nwankwo also lamented the migration of Nigerian physiotherapists, linking the trend partly to limited access to modern technology.

“Nigeria is producing lots of physiotherapists. Most of them are leaving the country, probably because of inadequate equipment, and we’re almost running short of workforce.

“If we have this equipment here, we’re going to attract more colleagues to stay back, learn these technologies, improve their practice and ultimately give the best care to patients.

“The most important thing to us is patients, and NOHSONIC is open to every class of patient,” Nwankwo said.

He said the clinic houses nearly 100 specialised rehabilitation machines, including advanced laser therapy systems, electric traction beds, electronic tilt tables and other equipment for managing chronic pain, neurological disorders, stroke recovery and orthopaedic injuries.

The Founder and Managing Director said affordability remains central to the clinic’s operations.

“NOHSONIC is open to every class of Nigerians and even non-Nigerians. We are affordable.

“Every treatment room is independently equipped to serve its purpose. We are well prepared and open to receive patients.”

Nwankwo added that the organisation would provide discounted treatment for its first 50 registered patients, organise periodic wellness outreach for senior citizens and implement injury-prevention programmes for young people as part of its corporate social responsibility initiatives.

He said the initiative reflects the organisation’s commitment to improving healthcare delivery while discouraging the growing reliance on medical tourism for specialised physiotherapy services.

The facility is expected to complement ongoing government efforts to expand rehabilitation services, improve access to specialised physiotherapy, retain skilled professionals and reduce the growing reliance on overseas treatment among Nigerians requiring advanced rehabilitation care.

For his part, the Clerk of the Senate, Emmanuel Odo, applauded Anewankwo for choosing to invest in Nigeria rather than emigrate through the popular “japa syndrome.”