ABUJA – An exhibition that would launch Nigeria as an emerging regional medical hub would open in Abuja from Oct. 21 to Oct. 23, Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, has said.
The minister, who disclosed this at a pre-exhibition news conference in Abuja on Monday, added that the forum would market Nigeria’s rich potentials in the health sector.
He said the exhibition was part of the Federal Government’s public private partnership initiative to develop the country’s health sector.
Chukwu said major players in the health industry were scheduled to participate in the three-day exhibition that would showcase Nigeria’s health care facilities.
The minister said there were a lot of benefits that could be taken from the forthcoming exhibition by both operators and users in the country.
“Part of the reasons why we felt this forum has become necessary is not to allow Nigerians to die in silence by informing them, including practitioners, about the availability of certain health care services in the country. [eap_ad_2] “It will even address the menace of capital flight in the form of medical tourism to health facilities abroad.
“It is going to facilitate referral system in Nigeria and even serve as a form of peer review among hospitals for instance; making stakeholders know what exists in hospitals within the country,’’ he said.
Chuwku said a lot of information about local health care facilities that many Nigerians were not aware of which, according to him, has been partly responsible for the menace of medical tourism.
He urged Nigerians to leverage on the gains of the forthcoming exhibition and fair and develop a culture of seeking medical care in local health care facilities.
The minister said the federal government would sustain its new policy of not sponsoring government officials on medical trips abroad except such care could not be accessed within the country.
He said participants at the forthcoming exhibition include operators of public and private hospitals, certified medical laboratories, diagnostic centres and pharmaceutical companies, among others.
The minister said the fair would be open to members of the public, stressing that there would be talks, specialised exhibitions and other features at the three-day event.
Participation for hospitals, laboratories, diagnostic centres and other categories of health service providers will be by registration. (NAN) [eap_ad_3]
