Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire yesterday lamented the high number of Nigerians who engage in medical tourism.
The Minister said this at a ceremony for graduands and new students of the Federal School of Medical Laboratory Technology (Sciences) in Jos, Plateau State
Speaking after he commissioned projects at the permanent site of the school at the Jos University teaching Hospital (JUTH), Ehanire lamented that “A good portion of the challenge of medical tourism in Nigeria is attributed to patients who go abroad for medical diagnostic services, including laboratory tests”.
He described the situation as unacceptable, saying “If this continues, it is a declaration of no confidence on all of us”.
The minister lamented that people had lost confidence in medical facilities in the country and rushed abroad because of experience they have had with results not showing accurate diagnosis.
“Therefore, we must do something urgent among all healthcare professionals to look at ways of improving the quality of service which we render,” he said.
Earlier, Dr. Sunday Etukudoh, provost of the school of laboratory sciences, said the institution established in 1954 to serve Nigeria and the entire West African subregion had the mandate to train qualified medical laboratory scientists for patient-centred service and manpower needs in the health care delivery system.
In attendance were Acting Registrar of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN), Mr. Tosan Erhabor, state commissioner for Health, Dr. Kunden Kamshak and the guest speaker, Professor James Damen of the University of Jos (UNIJOS), among others.
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