With less than 30 per cent of Nigerians having access to modern health care, the President of the World Medical Association (WMA), Dr Osahon Enabulele has lamented the pathetic state of the nation’s medical facilities.
Dr Enabulele who spoke at the commissioning of the diagnostic centre of the Igbinedion University Teaching Hospital, Benin noted that diagnostic facilities were essential elements in the diagnosis and treatment of serious ailments.
He said: “Diagnostic services provide critical access to healthcare and treatment by patients which is available in other climes.
“In Nigeria, access to healthcare is less than 30 per cent because the facilities are not there. But with the diagnostic facilities now, it will gradually improve access to healthcare.”
Enabulele called on thousands of Nigeria’s medical experts presently sojourning abroad to come back home and invest in healthcare.
The Esama of Benin Kingdom, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion predicted that the opening of Igbinedion University Teaching Hospital Diagnostic Centre will end medical tourism in the country.
Chief Igbinedion said that his aim is to bring back the good old days when patients were referred from abroad to the hospital.
Represented by the former governor of Edo State, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, the Benin high chief said that it is very important that Nigerians invest in the health sector and provide the necessary equipment and training for our young and upcoming health workers in order to excel.
The Esama said: “As you can see, as the first lady will say shortly, this is a modern diagnostic centre and I want to assure you as I speak on behalf of the Chancellor, our father, the founder, that this is just the beginning even though it began many years ago as has been testified by various speakers, that when the Teaching Hospital was opened many years ago, head of states used to come here for check-up, and people used to be referred from abroad to come to Igbinedion Teaching Hospital.
“We want to go back to the good old days and stop the medical tourism, let us rather tour in our country and keep our money in our country.”
He lamented the poor maintenance culture of Nigerians towards public facilities, noting that it is one thing to build infrastructure and another thing to maintain them.”
The wife of Edo State Governor, Mrs Betsy Obaseki said investment in the health sector doesn’t yield immediate benefits but what Igbinedion has done is to improve the lives and well being of the Nigerian citizens.
Mrs Obaseki called on other Nigerians to emulate the shining example set by Igbinedion by investing in the health sector as the government alone cannot shoulder the responsibility of health care.
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