Health
How we are Able to Reduce Medical Tourism – MD Alliance Hospt.
By Laide Akinboade, Abuja
The Medical Director, Alliance Hospital, Dr. Christopher Otabor, has revealed the efforts his hospital is making in order to reduce over $1 billion lost to medical tourism annually.
Otabor, revealed this when guild of medical Directors, led by
Dr Kingsley Iseko, paid him a solidarity visit in Abuja.
The Guild of Medical Directors who commended Dr. Otabor over his commitment to reverse medical tourism in Nigeria
The Chairman, Guild of Medical Directors, FCT chapter Dr Kingsley Iseko who led the delegation to Alliance Hospital said the guild is solidly behind the hospital, especially with the ways it is saving lives through its quality health services
Iseko commended Alliance Hospital for engaging in various humanitarian services, adding that all members of the Guild are open to regulations.
“We are open to regulations because it helps us set standards and to make sure that people have confidence in the health care that is being given.
“Abuja is fast becoming the centre of reversing medical tourism. Hospitals that are in the guild of medical directors have also spearheaded that,” he said.
In his response, the MD of Alliance Hospital Dr. Christopher Otabor explained the economic effect of medical tourism and the attendant brain drain saying that for the country to reverse the two unpleasant situations government needs to invest more in hospital equipment, motivate health workers, and tackle insecurity.
He said kidney issues is the leading cause of people that travels abroad for treatment.
He also identified lack of latest equipment, no strategic investment, lack of capacity building as some of the reasons why qualified medical personnel are leaving Nigeria to seek better opportunities abroad.
According to Otabor, “It is estimated that over a billion dollars is lost to medical tourism annually from this country.
Of course, anyone that has the money will want the best for himself and there’s no law that says you cannot travel to take care of yourself.
“There are some specialties that normally attract people abroad, like Joint replacement auto pedics, Joint replacement surgeries, Cardiac surgeries, Kidney transplant among others.
“Kidney transplant is a leading discuss now because the rate of end state kidney failure in the country is alarming. Every time you tune your television to stations that into corporate social responsibilities, that tend to announce some of these cases for people to contribute, there’s hardly any day you’ll not find 10 cases of kidney failure being announced.
“I can tell you here that there’s hardly anybody here who has not been affected in one way or the other. Either a relative of yours have suffered from kidney failure and has died or probably had a transplant, or a church member or a member of your Muslim community or a colleague in the office, somehow we are affected.
“This is because the cases are increasing. Unfortunately, it’s such a big deal that not too many people can go abroad for it, because it requires a huge amount of resources.
“For you to do a kidney transplant in the United Kingdom now, you need about 100,000 pounds. That’s about 180 million naira. In India, you’d probably be requiring like 80 million there. Not too many families can afford that.
‘That’s why we are trying to build capacity locally We’re trying to see how we can bridge the gap. But of course, when you are going into a novel area, there will be challenges and I see the challenges that we have today as a teething problem that will go away”.
Why is Nigeria battling with braindrain, he lamented, “If you are not going to treat your healthcare professionals very well, if they have the next opportunity, they are going to leave.
“You can treat the healthcare professionals well by investing in the healthcare system. There are strategic investments.
“When somebody qualified after spending six years as a medical doctor and spent another six years or five years in the postgraduate program, his top priority can never be money. Good salary is one of the motivating factors for doctors to stay back, but I can shock you that is not necessarily the best. It’s not the top.
“There’s nothing that gratifies a doctor more than when he’s able to save the lives that he was trained to save, which means first of all, you have to have the equipment to save those lives.
“When you are in the hospital and you are confronted with, let’s say, a patient is bleeding and you don’t have the equipment to stop the bleeding. There are different types of bleeding somewhere within some outside.
“If a patient is bleeding and you don’t have the equipment to stop his bleeding and then you watch that patient bleed until he or she bleeds to death. Not because you don’t know what to do, but because you don’t have the equipment. Throughout that week, you will never be the same. It will take a lot of guts and courage for you to come back to yourself, because you see yourself as a failure.
“But when you see a patient bleeding, let’s say, internal bleeding and within a few minutes, you’ve stopped the bleeding and you deliver the patient out alive. That feeling is irreplaceable. Money cannot even replace that feeling.
“That is one of the main reasons why Nigerian doctors are leaving. Because most of our hospitals are not equipped. So, they don’t have fulfillment”.
Meanwhile, in the same day, Dr. Otabor, was also presented with an award by the Ochekwu Morgan, National Coordinator, Nigerian Patriotic Youth against Corruption and Transparency Initiative.
According to Morgan the leader of the youth group, “We want to assure you sir that the Nigerian Patriotic Youth against Corruption and Transparency Initiative are strongly in support of you and your activities and shall always stand by you.
“Having on the first note, seen you as one of the few remaining Leaders whom has found satisfaction in human and youth development, you have distinguished yourself from others by setting a pace for excellence”.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, has called for increased investment in radiopharmaceutical therapy to strengthen cancer care and advance precision medicine in Nigeria.
Salako made the call at the International Symposium on Radiopharmaceutical Therapy (ISRT) event held on Friday in Lagos.
The World Association of Radiopharmaceutical and Molecular Therapy (WARMTH), International Centers for Precision Oncology Foundation and Chris Oyakhilome Loveworld Medical Centre, organised the two- day event.
The symposium targets better, more accurate and personalised cancer diagnosis and treatment for people in Africa.
Represented by Dr David Oladele, Deputy Director, Research, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Salako commended the organisers and stakeholders for addressing Nigeria’s growing cancer burden.
He described radiopharmaceutical therapy as an important frontier in modern medicine, combining nuclear medicine, molecular imaging, pharmaceutical sciences, oncology and precision medicine for targeted cancer treatment.
The minister said the Federal Government remained committed to strengthening the health system under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the Health Sector Reform Investment Initiative.
He urged participants to deepen collaboration between Nigerian and international institutions, promote technology transfer, strengthen capacity development and develop partnerships to make radiopharmaceutical therapy more accessible.
Salako expressed hope that the symposium would produce actionable recommendations and partnerships capable of strengthening cancer care and advancing precision medicine across Nigeria.
He congratulated the organisers and wished participants fruitful deliberations and a successful symposium.
Delivering the opening remarks, Dr Deola Philips, Executive Minister, Ministry of Healing and Social Services and Chairman, Loveworld Medical Centre, commended Pastor Chris Oyakhilome for his compassion toward the sick.
Philips said Oyakhilome’s compassion had inspired healthcare initiatives, including trauma care, blood donation, volunteer medical services and community clinics.
She said ISRT promoted precise, personalised cancer care, strengthened local expertise and demonstrated Africa’s capacity to develop and deliver advanced diagnostics and targeted treatments to international standards.
President-elect of WARMTH, ISRT Scientific Chair and Director of Operations, Loveworld Medical Centre, Dr Masha Maharaj, said collaboration, education and research were crucial to advancing nuclear medicine globally.
She said ISRT symposiums provided practical workshops for young scientists and emerging departments to gain knowledge and confidence, exchange ideas and collaborate with international experts.
She said research showed that theranostics could improve outcomes for patients with advanced prostate cancer, adding that Nigeria had begun actinium treatments for breast cancer, sarcoma and lung cancer.
In a video displayed on a slide, Dr Savvas Frangeras, Nuclear Physician, Cyprus, and President, World Federation of Nuclear Medicine, praised Maharaj for fostering cooperation between the organisations.
Frangeras said the symposium supported efforts by international bodies to strengthen nuclear medicine in Africa and develop sustainable strategies for addressing the continent’s challenges.
He expressed hope that the Nigerian Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging would join the initiative, wishing participants a successful and productive symposium.
Prof. Richard Baum, a pioneer in molecular imaging, theranostics and radiopharmaceutical therapy, said the professional environment provided ideal conditions for learning, exchange and international friendships.
Baum commended Maharaj and her team for creating a platform that advanced radiopharmaceutical therapy, precision oncology, collaboration and global partnerships for patients in Africa and beyond.
Dr Emeka Eze, Medical Director, Loveworld, and Chairman, ISRT 2026, said precision oncology offered targeted cancer care, potentially reducing the side effects of conventional chemotherapy while improving diagnosis and treatment outcomes.
Eze said radiopharmaceuticals targeted diseased cells and helped detect cancers and other conditions, describing nuclear medicine technology at Loveworld Medical Centre as a major treatment breakthrough.
He commended the Nigerian government for supporting nuclear medicine and assured cancer patients of scientifically proven treatment alternatives, although he acknowledged that advanced medical care remained expensive.
Dr Anthony Oseghale, Director of Health Services, Ministry of Healing Health and Social Services, Loveworld Nation, Oyakhilome for his compassion and global healthcare interventions.
Oseghale said ISRT 2026 reflected Loveworld’s commitment to precision medicine, while Vision 10,000 provided free eye surgeries, eyeglasses, medication and specialist consultations, reaching thousands of people.
He said the Volunteer Medical Corps comprised millions of health professionals and students providing free healthcare, while Community Clinics offered free services, medications and consumables across communities.
According to him, Loveworld Medical Centre had expanded access to advanced healthcare, with plans for a community clinic in Kenya, enabling patients to receive specialised treatment without travelling abroad.(NAN)
Abia State Governor, Alex Otti said the rising cases of cancer, brain tumour, stroke and tuberculosis among Abia youths poses serious concern to him.
Otti expressed the concern at the August edition of his media monthly chat, held at the Okpara Auditorium, Umuahia, on Thursday night.
He described the trend as one of the issues that “has continued to keep me awake all night”.
He said that there was an urgent need to identify factors contributing to the increase in serious health conditions among Abia youths.
The governor, therefore, directed the Commissioner for Health to intensify public health education, with focus on preventive healthcare.
He urged Abia people to pay attention to what they eat, how they eat, when they eat and the quantity they eat.
He emphasised that the government would prioritise prevention rather than waiting until illnesses escalated to when it required treatment.
Otti disclosed that the State Government was spending enormous financial resources for the treatment of Abia indigenes suffering various diseases in different hospitals in the country, including Lagos and Abuja.
He said that his administration was establishing specialist hospitals in the three senatorial zones in the state to make quality health care accessible to the people.
He said that other healthcare facilities in the state were being strengthened to respond to emerging health challenges.
According to him, the goal is to ensure that residents accessed quality and specialised health care within Abia, “instead of travelling outside”.
On infrastructure, he gave assurance that construction work on a major road that was delayed would resume and be completed soon.
He said that the challenge affecting the project had been resolved and that completion was close.
The governor also assured residents that the planned remodeling of Ubani Ultra-modern Market had not been abandoned.
He said that work on the market would commence soon, adding that the government remained committed to the project.
He said that his administration prioritised the welfare and educational needs of persons with disabilities, contrary to the allegations that they were being discriminated against in admission processes.
Otti directed the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education to investigate and correct any confirmed case.
He emphasised that the administration would continue to address genuine complaints by citizens and ensure fair implementation of programmes. (NAN)
From Dan Amasingha, Minna
A fresh outbreak of diphtheria has claimed 11 more lives in Niger State, raising the death toll from the disease to 28 as health authorities battle its spread across affected communities.
The latest fatalities were recorded in Chanchaga and Katcha Local Government Areas, where officials blamed low childhood immunisation coverage for the increasing number of deaths.
Executive Director of the Niger State Primary Health Care Development Agency (NSPHCDA), Dr. Junaidu Inuwa, disclosed this on Thursday in Minna during a two-day capacity-building workshop for Ward Development Committees (WDCs) on Community Engagement and Accountability to Affected Population (AAP), organised in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Dr. Inuwa said the state had earlier confirmed 124 diphtheria cases between January and early August, with 17 deaths recorded before the latest outbreak.
He revealed that while 74 patients have been successfully treated and discharged from affected communities in Bida and Agaie local government areas, surveillance has been intensified in Suleja LGA to contain the disease.
The health official expressed concern over what he described as the refusal of some parents and guardians to vaccinate their children, warning that the trend was exposing children to preventable diseases.
“Most parents are not immunising their children, and the community structures need to do more in sensitising families. We recently recorded an outbreak in Chanchaga and Katcha where 10 patients died, and we lost another patient on Tuesday at the General Hospital, Minna,” he said.
He urged Ward Development Committees to intensify grassroots mobilisation and encourage mothers to present their children for routine immunisation, stressing that early vaccination remains the most effective protection against diphtheria.
UNICEF’s Social and Behavioural Change Specialist in the Kaduna Field Office, Ibrahim Mohammed, said the training was aimed at strengthening community structures to support healthcare delivery through awareness creation and accountability.
According to him, the programme adopts an integrated approach covering health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), child protection, and education to improve community response to disease outbreaks.
Health authorities have appealed to residents to promptly report suspected diphtheria symptoms and ensure eligible children receive routine vaccines to curb further spread of the disease across the state.
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