NATIONAL Hospital, Abuja on Thursday, inaugurated an executive wing to cater for the health needs of Very Important Personalities, VIPs.
The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN reports that Hon. Patricia Etteh, the Chairperson of the Governing Board of the hospital and first female former Speaker of House of Representatives inaugurated the facility in Abuja.
Etteh said that the wing was in addition to the already existing six standard wings aimed at curtailing medical tourism and brain drain.
She added that 50 per cent of consultants practising in America, among other countries, were Nigerians, saying that the facility would encourage doctors in the country to attend to the healthcare needs of the populace.
She said the wing could be compared with what was obtainable in Europe and America, among other countries, due to the standard of the facility.
According to her, there is no medical check-up or care that anybody will want to do outside the country that is not available in the hospital, especially in terms of staff and equipment.
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She said that “the board and hospital management discovered that for us to achieve this, we have to put our VIP section in place.
“It has been rehabilitated in such a way that there is no point for anybody to start thinking of going abroad.
“The amount we are charging here is very low, compared with the airfare not to talk about the exorbitant charges for each consultation for medical care abroad.
“Nigerians should stop complaining about doctors and consultants because 50 per cent of doctors in America are Nigerians.”
The hospital board chairperson, who compared the wing with a Five Star Hotel in terms of equipment, encouraged Nigerian doctors abroad to return to the country to take care of the populace.
She said “we believe that if we have such facilities in the country, Nigerians will not bother travelling abroad for medical check-up anymore.
“The most important way to curb brain drain is for us to provide the enabling environment for our brains to stay back and serve the nation.
“We have the best Cancer Centre in Africa, Invitro Fertilisation, IVF Department, Paediatric, Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department, among others, functioning well,” she added.
Chief Medical Director, CMD of the hospital, Mr Jafaru Momoh said that the facility was specifically meant to attract and discourage people from travelling abroad for medical care to explore services available within the country.
Momoh, who described the wing as a centre of excellence, emphasised that it would make provision for those who wanted the best in healthcare.
According to him, the upgraded wing can cater for six patients at a time on admission and it is majorly to provide healthcare for people who complain that government hospitals are dirty or filthy.
He added that “this upgraded executive wing is in addition to the already existing six standard VIP wing.
“What we are doing is to make sure we match the place with excellent clinical services and attitudinal change on the part of the staff for improved care and services.
“This is because we believe that our attitude and clinical skills and training will ensure patients’ satisfaction.”
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