ABUJA – Some healthcare operators in the country on Wednesday said Nigeria has developed the capacity to handle complicated health issues within its shores.
The operators spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews on the sidelines of the ongoing hospitals exhibition in Abuja.
They said the era of medical tourism in foreign countries was over and urged Nigerians to patronise local facilities and reduce the menace of capital flight as a result of medical tourism.
An operator of one of the health facilities in Abuja, Dr Tokunbo Ayepada, said Nigerians had no reason to travel abroad in search of care on issues relating to the bones.
He said his facility specialised in handling serious cases such as orthopaedic surgery, plastic surgery and others.
“It’s a specialist hospital with core competent and orthopaedic surgeons with high tech theatre equipment.
“We do all types of surgery such as orthopaedic surgery, plastic surgery, vascular surgery and urological surgery, among others.
“We undertake specialised procedure like hip and knee replacement, closed fracture fixation surgery, arthroscopic surgery, brain tumour surgery, mammoplasty etc,’’ he said.
He said the kind of health tourism that he would encourage was one where specialists come in and have the surgeries done in the country.
Another Abuja based facility operator, Dr Nse-Ubong Undie, said some of the cases taken to foreign health care facilities could be handled in Abuja.
She said her facility stands out in complicated surgery and cases that many Nigerians considered impossible for any facility to handle.
According to the facility operator, the mainstay of the facility’s work include laser lithotripsy for kidney stones, laser vaporization of the prostate, laparoscopic cholecystectomy and laparoscopic gynaecological surgery.
She said the hospital was devoted to providing quality health care services to Nigerians, especially patients from Abuja and environs as well as foreign citizens living within and outside the country.
“We offer both ridged and flexible cystoscope for day-case cystoscopy.
“When people have difficulty passing out urine or have other lower urinary tract symptom, it is important to ascertain the cause.
“We have equipment for treating bladder cancers which can be removed completely using endoscopic equipment.’’
He said the hospital’s radiology services and dental clinic were among the best available in the country.
The spokesman of the National Hospital, Dr Tayo Haastrup, said the hospital’s improved facility has placed it above many other health care facilities in the country.
He said the newly built and equipped trauma centre was the pride of the hospital and all Nigerians, insisting that even the best private hospitals could not stand what was obtainable at the facility.
“We have accident and emergency services on 24 hours basis, a newly commissioned trauma centre for all trauma related emergencies.
“Gynaecology emergency services, paediatric emergency and psychiatric emergency services, among many others.’’
The hospitals exhibition and fair, the first of its kind, is showcasing Nigeria’s potentials in the health sector.
NAN also reports that major health care facility operators are participating in the three-day exhibition. (NAN)
