The Enugu State government has called on private investors in Nigeria and the Diaspora to invest in healthcare infrastructure to encourage medical tourism to the country.
This is as the Catholic Bishop of Nsukka Diocese, Most Rev. Godfrey Onah, lamented the increasing deaths of Nigerians as a result of wrong diagnosis.
The governor, Peter Mbah, stated this in Enugu during the grand opening ceremony of the Health Focus Diagnostics Nigeria, a Medical Diagnostics Centre established by Health Focus, a German consultancy working to strengthen health systems across Africa and Unimedical Healthcare, stressing that Nigerians must rise to save the health sector and improve health standards.
Mbah, who was represented by his deputy, Ifeanyi Ossai, said that it is worrying that Nigerians spend over $1.5 billion on medical tourism yearly, contributing to the economy of other countries instead of investing back home to build a stronger healthcare system.
He noted that with the right investment, Enugu State can become the health tourism destination of Nigeria, adding that the state was best suited for investments in healthcare infrastructure, boasting of over nine health institutions producing medical doctors and other healthcare professionals.
Mbah said: “We need more facilities like this in Enugu State where people can come to seek medical care because no society develops without access to healthcare.”
The governor commended the owners of the centre for deeming it necessary to invest in the state.
