By Asmau Ahmad
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has urged political office holders in the country to end medical tourism and fix the country’s fragile healthcare system.
In a statement released on Sunday by the President of the NMA, Dr Uche Ojinmah made available to newsmen, the association called on political office holders in Nigeria to emulate the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and end medical tourism.
He said it is time to fix the fragile healthcare system to the benefit of the common man and Nigerian economy, adding that the time for action is now, urging those concerned to do the needful.
Prof. Osinbajo’s spokesman, Laolu Akande, had posted a statement confirming that the vice-president had a successful leg surgery on Saturday at a private hospital in Lagos state.
NMA has continued to express displeasure at the neglect suffered by the health sector amid the president’s frequent medical trips.
Stakeholders in the health sector said the attraction to foreign health care by political office holders demonstrated the failure of leadership.
According to them, the continued patronage of foreign hospitals by privileged Nigerians, including the president and his immediate family, has increased the lack of confidence in the sector, thereby increasing medical tourism and wastage of public funds on such adventures.
