What Nigerians spend on medical treatment abroad annually – Reps reveal

The House of Representatives Wednesday disclosed that Nigerians spend over $1billion (N360billion) yearly on medical treatment abroad.

Countries most visited are India, UK, Germany, United States, Israel and some other Countries in the Middle East.

Based on these findings, the green chamber has resolved to review and consider the upgrade of medical infrastructure nationwide.

These resolutions followed an adopted motion sponsored by Hon.Segun Adekola from Ekiti state during plenary.

In his presentation, Adekola said several studies have shown that if the twenty Teaching Hospitals located in the six geo-political zones of the country are refurbished and made to function optimally, Nigerians will not need to travel abroad for medical treatment.

In 2017, the lawmaker averred that less than 5% (N303billion) of the budget was allocated for health care despite serious negative health indices, including the dishonor of being a major exporter of the oral polio virus to other nations.

He further explained that the 1% consolidated funds which the National Health Act, 2014 stipulated for health, especially for universal health coverage with health insurance and primary healthcare was never implemented since the Act was enacted in 2014.

Citing example with the National Hospital Abuja, Adekola recalled that it was built to offer world class health services but that it has become a shadow of its former self with glaring cases of insufficient equipment, including linear accelerator machines.

In his words, ‘Despite Nigeria being a major signatory to the Abuja Declaration of Heads of Governments which resolved to adopt a minimum of 15% as national health budgets for all members in Africa, the Country has never exceeded 6% since that laudable step was taken in 2001″.

The House also resolved to set in motion necessary machineries that would ensure an upward review of the Budgetary allocation for the health sector to meet the minimum 15% recommended by African Heads of States in Abuja, known as the Abuja Declaration 2001.