medical tourism nigeria

Our Response to COVID-19 →

Medical Tourism

Unlocking opportunities in nigerian medical tourism.

As the medical tourism industry continues to expand, healthcare providers are increasingly seeking opportunities to attract patients from specific countries to travel for medical care. One such promising market is Nigeria, a country with a growing demand for quality healthcare services. In this comprehensive article, we will explore the unique aspects of the Nigerian medical tourism market, the market opportunity it presents, the expectations of patients, and how to accommodate the culture and patient experience. Additionally, we will provide suggestions on how healthcare providers can effectively tap into this market.

Understanding the Nigerian Market

Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, offers a significant market for medical tourism. With a rapidly growing economy and an expanding middle class, Nigerians are increasingly seeking advanced medical treatments and specialized healthcare services. Understanding the distinct characteristics of this target market is crucial for healthcare providers looking to attract Nigerian patients.

Market Opportunity

The Nigerian medical tourism market presents significant opportunities for healthcare providers. Nigerians often travel abroad for treatments not readily available or accessible in their home country. By establishing healthcare facilities that offer these sought-after services, providers can address the existing demand and cater to the medical needs of Nigerian patients.

Additionally, Nigeria's population includes a significant diaspora living abroad, many of whom maintain strong ties to their home country. This diaspora presents another opportunity for healthcare providers to attract Nigerian patients who may return to Nigeria for medical care.

Accommodating the Culture and Patient Experience

Accommodating the culture and ensuring a positive patient experience are essential factors in attracting Nigerian patients. Nigerian culture places a strong emphasis on personal relationships, respect, and hospitality. It is crucial for healthcare providers to understand and embrace these cultural values when interacting with Nigerian patients.

To accommodate the culture and provide an exceptional patient experience, healthcare providers should consider cultural competency training for their staff. This training helps foster trust, ensures effective communication, and enhances the overall patient experience.

Patient Expectations

Nigerian patients have high expectations when it comes to healthcare services. They seek providers who can deliver exceptional quality care, modern medical facilities, advanced technology, and highly skilled healthcare professionals. Moreover, Nigerian patients value personalized attention, transparent pricing, and efficient service delivery.

Global Healthcare Accreditation (GHA)

To meet the unique needs and expectations of Nigerian patients, healthcare providers should consider collaborating with organizations that specialize in healthcare accreditation and training. One such organization is Global Healthcare Accreditation (GHA).

GHA offers comprehensive support to hospitals through Gap Analysis, helping them identify their strengths and areas for improvement in catering to Nigerian medical tourists. By performing this analysis, hospitals can better understand their readiness to enter the Nigerian market and take targeted measures to enhance their offerings.

Furthermore, GHA provides training and accreditation services. Hospitals and healthcare providers that undergo GHA accreditation demonstrate their commitment to meeting international standards for patient care and services. Many top hospitals from around the world have partnered with GHA for training, accreditation, and gap analysis.

Nigerian patients and healthcare consumers are recommended to choose GHA-accredited healthcare providers. GHA accreditation ensures that providers have received cultural training and possess the necessary competency to deliver exceptional patient experiences. Accredited providers are best prepared to manage the unique needs of Nigerian patients, ensuring a great patient experience. Positive experiences can turn Nigerian patients into living testimonials who enthusiastically share their medical tourism experiences with friends and family.

Additionally, having an accreditation like Global Healthcare Accreditation helps build trust with healthcare consumers. Trust is a critical factor for patients when determining which hospital and country they will choose for their medical care.

Tapping into the Nigerian Market

To tap into the Nigerian medical tourism market effectively, healthcare providers should consider various strategies. Building strong relationships with local referral partners, such as Nigerian healthcare professionals, insurance companies, and travel agencies, can significantly enhance market penetration. Additionally, engaging with the Nigerian community through targeted marketing campaigns, partnerships with diaspora organizations, and participating in healthcare conferences and events in Nigeria can help raise awareness and attract patients.

Providers should also consider tailoring their services to align with the specific needs and preferences of Nigerian patients. This may include offering specialized treatments, providing interpreter services for effective communication, and ensuring a welcoming and culturally sensitive environment.

Medical Tourism Association and Global Healthcare Resources

For healthcare providers aiming to fully penetrate the Nigerian medical tourism market, collaboration with organizations specializing in market penetration and referral networks is essential. The Medical Tourism Association (MTA) is a leading entity in the medical tourism industry.

To access comprehensive market penetration expertise, healthcare providers should consider partnering with Global Healthcare Resources . They are experts in market penetration for both B2C medical tourist referrals and B2B referrals, including facilitators, insurance companies, and government entities. With the largest network and audience of consumers and buyers globally, operating in every region of the world, Global Healthcare Resources can provide invaluable support in tapping into the Nigerian market.

The Medical Tourism Association has successfully launched initiatives in various locations, including Korea, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Washington DC, Florida, Miami, Las Vegas, Colombia, Costa Rica, and more. Partnering with these organizations ensures access to resources and expertise required to navigate the Nigerian medical tourism market.

In conclusion, the Nigerian medical tourism market offers significant opportunities for healthcare providers.By understanding the unique aspects of this target market, meeting patient expectations, and collaborating with organizations like Global Healthcare Accreditation, healthcare providers can effectively tap into the Nigerian market. Accommodating the culture, providing exceptional patient experiences, and building trust through accreditation are crucial factors in attracting Nigerian patients. Collaborating with the Medical Tourism Association and Global Healthcare Resources further enhances the success of healthcare providers in penetrating the Nigerian medical tourism market.

Korea: Turning the Focus to an Emerging Global Leader in Medical Tourism

Exploring the surge of cosmetic tourism: trends and considerations in aesthetic procedures abroad, holistic healing: exploring integrative medicine and wellness retreats, meeting the surge: the growing demand for knee replacement surgeries and advances in the field, innovations in medical technology: how cutting-edge technology drives medical tourism, dr. frank dellacroce of the center for restorative breast surgery talks advanced breast reconstruction, will the covid vaccine bring back medical tourism, a letter from the founder of world medical tourism congress: medical travel industry goes to the middle east, strategies for long-term success in medical tourism, top 7 things to look for when choosing a medical tourism facilitator, continue reading, best countries for stomach cancer treatment: a global perspective, ponderas academic hospital: elevating medical tourism with jci accreditation and personalized care, brno and south moravia - a hidden treasure of central europe, featured reading, transforming healthcare through innovation: ceo spotlight interview with matthew a. love, new shift for thailand’s medical travel landscape as mta launches new moves, dominican republic’s giant strides to becoming a global leader in medical tourism, medical tourism magazine.

The Medical Tourism Magazine (MTM), known as the “voice” of the medical tourism industry, provides members and key industry experts with the opportunity to share important developments, initiatives, themes, topics and trends that make the medical tourism industry the booming market it is today.

Assessing the associated medical, legal, and social issues in medical tourism and its implications for Nigeria

• Adeponle Olayode Adeoye

Received: 16 Jul 2023 - Accepted: 27 Jul 2023 - Published: 31 Jul 2023

Domain : Public health,Sociology

Keywords : Health, medical tourism, government, treatment, Nigeria

© Adeponle Olayode Adeoye et al. Pan African Medical Journal (ISSN: 1937-8688). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Cite this article: Adeponle Olayode Adeoye et al. Assessing the associated medical, legal, and social issues in medical tourism and its implications for Nigeria. Pan African Medical Journal. 2023;45:145. [ doi : 10.11604/pamj.2023.45.145.41104 ]

Available online at: https://www.panafrican-med-journal.com/content/article/45/145/full

Adeponle Olayode Adeoye 1,&

1 Department of Sociology, Redeemer´s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria

& Corresponding author Adeponle Olayode Adeoye, Department of Sociology, Redeemer´s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria

Medical tourism is thriving in Nigeria among both elites and non-elites with over $1 billion annual expenditure on medical tourism. Inadequate healthcare infrastructure caused by economic problems, corruption and low budgetary allocation to the country�s health sector, and lack of trust in the country's healthcare systems to handle complex medical procedures have contributed to this trend. This article discusses the trend of medical tourism in Nigeria and the associated medical, legal, and social issues in medical tourism generally, relying on relevant literature. The paper concludes that medical tourism is not inherently dangerous; however, unequal economic and power status may influence the quality of hospitals where patients receive treatment and the quality of treatment received. This unequal power and economic status may also determine justice in cases of substandard treatment in foreign hospitals. The study recommends that the Nigerian government should improve healthcare systems in the country to reverse the trend of medical tourism and to reduce the financial burden that medical tourism exerts on average Nigerians who need a high level of care but cannot access it in their country. It is also recommended that a regulatory framework that ensures protection from substandard hospitals and justice for Nigerians who fall victim to substandard care abroad must be put in place by the Nigerian government. Relevant health stakeholders should also continue to sensitize the public about the complications that may be associated with some medical procedures sought outside Nigeria especially cosmetic surgery which may result in follow-up challenges.

Medical tourism is a term used within the medical industry to describe the practice of seeking international medical services for emergency and non-emergency health situations [ 1 ]. Medical tourism is the practice of traveling from a country of residence to another country for the sole purpose of attaining healthcare services [ 2 ]. Medical tourism is an action taken to enhance or restore one´s health through medical services outside the jurisdiction of one´s national healthcare [ 3 ]. The definitions of medical tourism above imply that medical tourism involves crossing one´s national border to access medical services. The history of medical tourism can be traced to the 15 th century among Europeans when elites in Europe travel for spas and mineral baths in Mediterranean countries to improve their health [ 4 ]. In recent years, some countries have become world destinations for medical tourism like India, Thailand, Korea, Malaysia United Kingdom, the Middle East, Japan, the United States, Canada, Belgium, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dubai, Hungary, Israel, Jordan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, and several others have also emerged as largest providers of international health services in the medical tourism business [ 5 ]. Many of these providers have grown exponentially to become a multi-billion-dollar industry and the largest receivers of medical tourists [ 5 ]. The worth of global medical tourism has been estimated to be 100 billion dollars and is projected to grow at an annual rate of 20% to 30% [ 6 ]. Popular healthcare services sought through medical tourism are; organ transplantation, reproductive treatment, and dental treatment [ 7 ]. The annual expenditure of Nigerians on international health services is estimated to be $1 billion with 60% of the money spent on oncology, orthopedics, nephrology, and cardiology [ 5 ]. This is also equivalent to government expenditure on the public health sector including salaries of the workers and government health intervention programs [ 5 ].

Drivers of medical tourism in Nigeria: the emerging breakthrough in medical technologies, the disparity in laws across countries concerning healthcare services, global economic inequities, and globalization promote medical tourism in the 21 st century world [ 8 ]. In Nigeria, the lingering economic situation has had a significant impact on the health sector in which the budgetary allocation to the sector is poor [ 9 ]. There is no doubt that most healthcare institutions in Nigeria underperform than that of the developed nations as they lack basic facilities and equipment expected of a healthcare institution [ 10 ]. Budgetary allocations and per capita government expenditure on health in Nigeria are far below what is required of a standard healthcare system [ 10 ]. This has incapacitated most healthcare institutions in terms of facilities and human resource development therefore contributing to a high rate of medical tourism among individuals who can afford such journeys. In low- and middle-income countries healthcare institutions like Nigeria, government hospitals lack basic diagnostic machines for chronic diseases and medical treatments for mild health conditions therefore patients die of unserious ailments such as diarrhea, malaria, injuries from accidents, tetanus, typhoid, and fever [ 10 ]. This has resulted in a lack of belief in Nigeria´s healthcare system among citizens of Nigeria. It should be noted that the practice of medical tourism is not only peculiar to the rich in Nigeria even individuals who are not able to afford such a journey go the extra mile in raising funds from social networks. Some others, even seek medical healthcare abroad when the health situation can be attended to in Nigeria because of the lack of belief in the Nigerian healthcare system [ 11 ]. A study conducted in Nigeria among individuals who have engaged in medical tourism and those who were about to go for medical tourism in Nigeria found that 40.2% strongly agree that improper medical treatment in the home country is the reason for their participation in outbound medical tourism [ 9 ]. It was also revealed that the majority of the respondents (47.7%) attributed infrastructural inadequacies as their reason for engaging in outbound medical tourism. More than half of the respondents (59.8%) claimed that they engage in outbound medical tourism because the treatment cost is commensurate to the quality of treatment abroad. 52.6% of the respondents were of very strong opinion that they engage in medical tourism because there are qualified health service providers abroad [ 9 ].

Medical issues in medical tourism: several ethical concerns have been raised about medical tourism. The practice of medical tourism has ethical implications at both individual and population health levels [ 12 ]. While some patients may receive good quality healthcare because of their economic strength and powerful status, some may suffer from medical complications after returning to their home country which might be a result of the low quality of care provided by foreign hospitals [ 12 ]. Some medical procedures carried out on patients might require follow-up to monitor the healing process [ 13 ]. However, because of the financial burden, most patients do not spend adequate time in foreign hospitals for proper monitoring of their health conditions. This usually becomes a burden to local doctors in medical tourists´ home countries as they bear the cost of correcting any negligent act caused by foreign medical providers [ 14 ]. For instance, a study conducted in a health facility in Nigeria among patients who presented themselves after receiving treatment abroad reported that 39% of patients who had neuro-surgical surgery died of complications upon returning to the country [ 15 ]. Over a quarter of these patients had infections that required follow-up care that was not initially planned [ 15 ]. Some of the health services that medical tourists seek may also be unethical and unlawful in their home country which may cause follow-up challenges upon completion of a procedure [ 16 ].

Medical tourists in the process of undergoing treatment abroad may be exposed to microbes that are not in existence or uncommon in their home country thereby facilitating the transmission of infectious diseases to their country of residence [ 2 ]. Such infectious diseases acquired abroad could lead to devastating outbreaks especially when the populace does not have existing inherent immunity to such diseases [ 2 ]. For instance, patients traveling for organ transplantation may be more susceptible to infectious complications as a result of poor screening protocols for organs in some foreign hospitals [ 17 ]. Cases where some patients acquired hepatitis B during cardiac surgery in Pakistan and renal transplantation in India have been documented [ 18 ]. The unethical practice of using foreign patients especially those from low- and middle-income countries for experimental treatment without informing them about the negative outcome associated with such procedure and the trend of organ harvesting of dead foreign patients without approval from the deceased family has been observed [ 19 ]. Curiosity about the efficacy of health professionals who carry out medical procedures on patients in foreign hospitals has also been raised. While several international private clinics offer services to tourists, some clinics may not be equivalent in terms of the standard stipulated by most medical regulatory bodies in regional countries [ 20 ]. Some of the clinics are certified as accredited facilities in collaboration with the government of the country to paint a picture that such clinics conduct health services according to globally established standards of quality and safety [ 20 ].

Legal issues in medical tourism: scholars have discussed the legal issues surrounding medical tourism. Medical tourists may be unable to seek legal justice for unsatisfactory treatment received in foreign countries, especially in countries where laws that protect tourist patients are not in existence [ 21 ]. Even in jurisdictions where such a law exists, it may be difficult to prove substandard care especially if the law relies heavily on evidence obtained from doctors in such countries [ 22 ]. International litigation is also expensive and difficult to enforce [ 21 ]. Therefore, patients who are not economically strong and unsatisfied with the medical services they received in foreign countries may be unable to seek justice. Traveling overseas to seek justice may exert another financial burden on the patients due to the cost of employing a suitable lawyer, travel expenses, and accommodation. Diverse laws that operate in different countries also make it difficult for patients to bring lawyers from their country of residence. Even when it is possible, language and cultural differences could also pose a challenge in seeking legal redress as foreign lawyers may not have the understanding of the courtroom if the jurisdiction for hearing the case is the country where the treatment was sought [ 23 ]. The most feasible option for such medical tourists who want justice is to employ a lawyer in the country where the medical procedure was done, which may also be expensive.

Even in cases where it is possible, a favorable judgment may not translate to enforcement of the judgment [ 23 ]. It is unlikely that such a judgment will be enforced, or they will get a financial reward. One of the reasons why United States health care is expensive is because of the legal right of patients to seek redress through judicial means in case of negligence or error while receiving care [ 23 ]. Also, some organ transplantation procedures carried out abroad are unlawful because they usually involve the purchase of organs. This often occurs in extremely poor societies where poverty clouds the thinking of the people about the consequences of selling their organs. A recent case is that of a former Nigerian lawmaker who has been convicted in the United Kingdom for coercing a young man into donating a kidney for a sick daughter through financial inducement without appropriately briefing the young man on the consequences of doing such [ 24 ].

Social issues in medical tourism: medical tourism is an act of neo-colonialism that makes low- and middle-income countries lack confidence in their healthcare system and dependent on the developed world [ 19 ]. Medical tourism reduces healthcare to a commodity, one that can only be accessed by privileged individuals. Medical tourism also contributes to the bad state of local healthcare systems in low-and middle-income countries as political leaders and other important stakeholders who should develop local healthcare systems have failed to do so due to medical tourism which provides them alternative healthcare access [ 7 ]. Medical tourism may exacerbate poverty and economic inequities in low- and middle-income countries as patients may exhaust their finances while trying to seek care abroad [ 25 ]. Such individuals may also lack the funds to manage complications that arise from such trips upon their return to their home country. As long as the option for treatment exists elsewhere, LMICs may feel little pressure to address the inadequacies in their healthcare system pushing citizens to risk material well-being in the pursuit of needed care [ 25 ]. Medical tourism may also lead to the substitution of clinical factors for financial reasons among patients due to the poor state of their local healthcare systems and the desperation to seek treatment. For instance, medical tourists may prefer to go to cheaper foreign hospitals than expensive ones without considering the standard of care in such hospitals [ 26 ].

Implications of medical, legal, and social issues in medical tourism for Nigeria: medical tourism is growing rapidly in Nigeria. However, unequal economic and power status in society may translate to differences in the quality of hospitals where patients go to receive treatments and the quality of treatments patients receive. The unequal power and economic status in society may also influence issues of justice when patients receive substandard care in foreign hospitals. Therefore, given the medical, legal, and social issues associated with medical tourism, Nigeria must first put in place machinery that would ensure that their healthcare systems are up to standards, and with state-of-the-art technologies to measure and meet up to the medical challenges of the citizens. This will drastically reduce the movement of patients from one country to another seeking healthcare service and reduce the financial burden that foreign medical trips put on average Nigerian families.

Since it is near impossible for a country to have all it takes for its citizens not to seek medical care abroad due to disparities in healthcare technologies and health systems efficiency across the world, Nigeria´s government must put enforceable legislations, policies, laws, and guidelines on medical tourism that regulates the quality and standard of hospitals where patients can seek medical care in foreign countries and that also protect their legal right in case of complications from substandard care. For instance, there should be a legal implication form to be signed by the treating physician/healthcare provider in the event of complications, or death of a patient caused by substandard care or if found to exploit organs of dead patients without appropriate consent from the patient´s family. Similarly, procedures of organ transplantation abroad should be made to pass through relevant governmental agencies to investigate who is donating and if appropriate inform consent has been done before such foreign trip is approved to proceed to foreign mission embassies to get visas. Relevant health stakeholders should also continue to sensitize the public about the complications that may be associated with some medical procedures sought outside Nigeria especially cosmetic surgery which may result in follow-up challenges when they come back to the country.

Medical tourism is not a dangerous practice. However, the medical, legal, and social issues associated with medical tourism necessitate the need for the Nigerian government to reposition its healthcare systems to meet up to standards to reverse the trend of foreign medical travels and the complications that might be associated with this practice as well as the financial burden it exerts on average citizens who need care but cannot access it in their country. The associated legal issues also point to the fact that the government needs to regulate medical tourism to prevent Nigerians from falling into the hands of substandard foreign hospitals and to protect their right to timely justice in cases of substandard treatment. The public also needs to be reoriented about unethical cosmetic surgeries sought abroad which might result in complications upon their return to the country.

The authors declare no competing interests.

All the authors have read and agreed to the final manuscript.

• Bulatovic I, Iankova K. Barriers to Medical Tourism Development in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Feb 2;18(3):1365. PubMed | Google Scholar
• Abd Mutalib NS, Ming LC, Yee SM, Wong PL, Soh YC. Medical tourism: ethics, risks and benefits. Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Education and Research. 2016 Apr 1;50(2):261-70. Google Scholar
• Ban H, Kin H. Applying the Modified Health Belief Model (HBM) to Korean Medical Tourism. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 May 22;17(10):3646. PubMed | Google Scholar
• Maheshwari S, Animasahun BA, Njokanma OF. International patients with congenital heart disease: what brings them to India? Indian Heart J. 2012 Jan-Feb;64(1):50-3. PubMed | Google Scholar
• Abubakar M, Basiru S, Oluyemi J, Abdulateef R, Atolagbe E, Adejoke J et al . Medical tourism in Nigeria: Challenges and remedies to health care system development. International Journal of Dev and Man Rev. 2018 June 1;13(1):223-238. Google Scholar
• Leggat P. Medical tourism. Aust Fam Physician. 2015 Jan-Feb;44(1-2):16-21. PubMed
• Smith R, Mart�nez Álvarez M, Chanda R. Medical Tourism: a review of the literature and analysis of a role for bi-lateral trade. Health Policy. 2011 Dec;103(2-3):276-82. PubMed | Google Scholar
• Widdows H. Localized past, globalized future: towards an effective bioethical frame-work using examples from population genetics and medical tourism. Bioethics. 2011 Feb;25(2):83-91. PubMed | Google Scholar
• Orji NV, Inyang, JJ, Akpan, JS, Bassey FO, Edodi HU. Nigerian Tourists´ Concerns Towards Medical Risks and Social Challenges. Afri Journal of Hosp. 2020 Aug 20;9(4):612-625. Google Scholar
• Muraina L, Tommy I, Monye C. Outbound Medical Tourism: Result of a Poor Healthcare System. Ciuci Consulting. 2012.
• Na SA, Nee AY, Onn CY. Medical tourism: The effects of perceived benefits, perceived risks and geographic region. Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities. 2017 Feb 1;25:143-52. Google Scholar
• Wahed H. Ethical and legal issues in medical tourism. IIUMLJ. 2015;23:227. Google Scholar
• Turner L. First world care at third world prices. Globalization, bioethics and medical tourism. BioSocieties. 2007 Sep;2(3):303-25. Google Scholar
• Chen LH, Wilson ME. The globalization of healthcare: implications of medical tourism for the infectious disease clinician. Clin Infect Dis. 2013 Dec;57(12):1752-9. PubMed | Google Scholar
• Idowu EO, Adewole OA. Spectrum of neurosurgical complications following medical tourism: challenges of patients without borders. Afr Health Sci. 2015 Mar;15(1):240-5. PubMed | Google Scholar
• Makinde OA. Physicians as medical tourism facilitators in Nigeria: ethical issues of the practice. Croat Med J. 2016 Dec 31;57(6):601-604. PubMed | Google Scholar
• Anker AE, Feeley TH. Estimating the risks of acquiring a kidney abroad: a meta-analysis of complications following participation in transplant tourism. Clin Transplant. 2012 May-Jun;26(3):E232-41. PubMed | Google Scholar
• Green ST. Medical tourism - a potential growth factor in infection medicine and publlic health. J of infect. 2008 Nov 1;57(5):429. Google Scholar
• Mogaka JJO, Mupara L, Tsoka-Gwegweni JM. Ethical issues associated with medical tourism in Africa. J Mark Access Health Policy. 2017 May 5;5(1):1309770. PubMed | Google Scholar
• Behrmann J, Smith E. Top 7 Issues in Medical Tourism: Challenges, Knowledge Gaps, and Fu-ture Directions for Research and Policy Development. Glob Jour of Health Sci. 2010 Oct 1;2(2):80. Google Scholar
• Kassim PNJ. Medicine beyond borders: the legal and ethical challenges. Med Law. 2009 Sep;28(3):439-50. PubMed | Google Scholar
• Cortez N, Patients without borders: The emerging global market for patients and the evolution of modern health care”. Ind Law J. 2008 Sept 12;83(1):71-132. Google Scholar
• Lunt N, Smith R, Exworthy M, Green TS, Horsfall D, Mannion R. Medical tourism: Treatments, markets and health system implications: A scoping review. Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs. Paris: OECD; 2011. Google Scholar
• Princewill N, Godwill K. Nigerian Senator Jail for 9 years for organ harvesting plot . Accessed June 29, 2023.
• Kangas B. Hope from Abroad in the International Medical Travel of Yemeni Patients. Anthropol Med. 2007 Dec;14(3):293-305. PubMed | Google Scholar
• Johnston R. Crooks VA, Snyder J, Kingsbury P. What is known about the effects of medical tourism in destination and departure countries? A scoping review. Int J Equity Health. 2010 Nov 3;9:24. PubMed | Google Scholar

This article authors

On google scholar, citation [download], navigate this article.

• Competing interests
• Authors´ contributions

Similar articles in

• Pubmed Central
• Google Scholar
• Medical tourism

Article metrics

Similar in pamj, plumx metrics, recently from the pamj.

Impact of haemoglobin variants on the diagnostic sensitivity of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) assay methodologies in sub-Saharan Africa: a laboratory-based method validation study

Predictors of household direct cost of burn injury in adult patients at a tertiary healthcare facility in Ghana: an analytical cross-sectional study in Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital

Ventricular restoration in adults with huge congenital left ventricular aneurysm report of two cases

Striking rise of cesarean section rates in Türkiye: there is a need for a whole new perspective

Investigation of potentially pathogenic vibrionaceae in Saint-Louis city, Senegal

Tuberculose disséminée révélée par une localisation épididymaire chez un patient immunocompétent: à propos d´un cas

Authors´ services

• Contributors
• What's New
• Other Sports
• Marie Claire
• Appointments
• Business News
• Business RoundUp
• Capital Market
• Communications
• BusinessAgro
• Executive Motoring
• Executive Briefs
• Friday Worship
• Youth Speak
• Social Media
• Love and Relationships
• On The Cover
• Travel and Places
• Visual Arts
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Philanthropy
• Social Impact
• Environment
• Mortgage Finance
• Real Estate
• Urban Development
• Youth Magazine
• Life & Style
• Love & Life
• Travel & Tourism
• Brand Intelligence
• Weekend Beats
• Ibru Ecumenical Centre
• News Feature
• Living Healthy Diet
• Living Wellbeing
• Guardian TV

Reversing medical tourism in Nigeria

• Dr. Adeyinka Shoroye

With the increasing population of Nigerians exiting the country to seek medical treatment abroad and the huge impact on the nation’s economy, it has become a matter of urgency to revamp the health sector to edge the ugly trend.

Tens of thousands of Nigerians travel every year to the United States of America, (USA), United Kingdom, (UK), India, Thailand, Turkey, France, Canada, Germany Malaysia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia and China, among other countries for treatments ranging from kidney transplant, open heart or cardiac surgeries, neurosurgeries, cosmetic surgeries, orthopedic surgeries, eye surgery and other health conditions, to the extent of delivering babies over there.

It is estimated that Nigeria loses about $1.3 billion to medical tourism yearly, which has caused a huge burden on the nation’s economy.

The inadequacy of Nigeria’s health system has been traced to the thriving foreign medical tourism due to poor service delivery, poor funding, unavailability of human capital, poor infrastructure and absence of specialist services, among other flaws.

And according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Nigeria is currently ranked 187 out of 190 countries in the health index.

While the country is suffering from the alarming rate of medical tourism, brain drain has also been linked to the ugly trend as the best physicians are leaving the country to seek better paying job and working environment abroad, especially the US and Canada where they would be respected.

The Secretary of the Board Trustees, Nigerian-American Medical Foundation (NAMF), Dr. Adeyinka Shoroye in an interview with The Guardian said according to the a count done by the foundation with the American Medical Association (AMA) in 1995, Nigerian doctors by birth in the US was about 1,200, noting that by April 2018, another count was done, which showed an increase of 4,500.

He stressed that human capital; infrastructure, poor quality of education and funding have contributed immensely to the poor state of the country’s health system.

“Misplaced priorities, no proper funding for health care budget, no education, in many universities we don’t have enough faculty for medicine the teaching staff are inadequate and they are overstretching the system to get the best training, this is human life and medicine.

“Basically, people are leaving the country because tertiary care is not doing very well, it has failed due to poor funding and the educational standard has gone so bad in the last three decades, the effect is what we are seeing.

“Failed primary healthcare, uncoordinated tertiary health care, corruption and mismanagement, of course, we are all seeing the effect now. Those who can afforded treatment go to Europe, North America or South Africa which has a very good infrastructure and those that can not afford it stay in the country. People are leaving the country, because they want to get better healthcare at the super-tertiary level. We all know the massive outflow of doctors who left the country in the last two decades practices somewhere in the North America and the whole idea is, even those who don’t want to come back home, if there is a way for them to come in and voluntary, especially the area people are leaving for tourism, which is the super-tertiary care, then we can fill that gap, which is the whole idea of reversing medial tourism,” he said.

He recalled that during the days of the former president of Nigeria, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, the National Health Development Plan I was developed, adding that funding in the universities was sufficient, which included the medical schools, which are Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), University of Lagos, University of Ibadan, University of Ife, that produced excellent graduate, according to him, who later left the country.

Shoroye lamented that with the way the population is growing, policy makers at the local, state or federal level should be intensify efforts at addressing the issue.

“Nigeria’s population is a scary phenomenon, we are not preparing for the future, and we are now in the second decade of the 21st century, 2018. By the years 2050, the UNDP is saying Nigeria’s population will be the number three in the world. Right now China is 1.4billion people, India is 1.3billion, US is 325million, Indonesia is 270 million, Brazil is 210million, Pakistan is 207million, with the figures we are having now Nigeria is 198milllion, which is almost 200million; we are getting close to Pakistan, we are number seven and we will overtake Pakistan, which is very close as well as Brazil, Indonesia and US, that means by 2050 Nigeria will be the third most populous country globally.

“And we are not planning infrastructure, education and human capital. Infrastructure can even be the number two, you can have any fine structure but what about the people, the human capital that will be able to sustain… so those are the things we are looking at, it may not be in our own time but let us look at fairness to the next generation coming that it is a challenge they would have to face. Population is ticking time bomb, even if the population is growing are people sitting down to look at statistics and planning well for the future, even the state of the economy.”

He added that most of the countries in the world with the best human indices in healthcare have high standard of living, which has led to the lowest maternal and infant mortality and very high life expectancy.

Proffering solution to the ravaging problems, Shoroye said NAMFI is working towards strengthening the primary health care in the country from the local government wards, making it stronger and very effective, adding that once that is done, the secondary and tertiary healthcare level would have lesser problem.

“If we make the primary health care stronger there will be less problems for the secondary and tertiary health care level. Of course there is super-tertiary which is what we are dealing with in this foundation.

“The human capital is a luxury and we are all glad that this is a golden opportunity to tap into that. Yes they don’t live here, some might not want to come back, but at least, they can be volunteers and rotate periodically. If we have 12 experts in one particular narrow sub-specialty, they can pick a month each, come home two or three weeks do consultation, it might not be the best, but it is better than nothing.

He stressed that Nigeria accounts for the highest burden of non communicable diseases, adding “The figures we have now from WHO, state that the developed world has a 47-per cent increase in the last few years, in the developing country 60 per cent increase and that is the problem, we are not just battling with the old problem, we have made some strides in communicable and infectious diseases, remunerations have made big difference in the last century, but in this 21st century one of the challenges we have now is the NCDs, and what ways are we going to screen and address them, it is at the primary health care level, at least that is the challenge we are going to face for a while in the next generation of this part of the world and we are not taking them seriously.”

He lauded the federal government’s effort in revitalizing 10, 000 PHCs across the country urging the current policy makers to take it serious, adding “if you strengthen primary care, it will become less problem for secondary and tertiary health care level and also for the super-tertiary, but when you have ignored that one, from uncontrollable hypertension to kidney transplant and now they are looking for funds to travel to do transplant.

“The problem start from prevention which could be done at the primary care level by strengthening it, so it is laudable, but there are other things behind the scene that we need to be aware of between the kind of living of the people with those indices.”

On what NAMFI intends to do to stem medical tourism in Nigeria, Shoroye said the foundation would invest in human capital by engaging the Nigerian doctors in the diaspora to render medical service here in Nigeria, either periodically by medical missions or volunteers, adding that it would help the country for a long time.

“We are hoping that we can be able to attract them to come and work here. We have a huge human capital in front of us to be able to move forward, which is a big plus,” he added.

On sustainability, he said, “it is not going to be easy, it is a huge population, at least we have to start somewhere, even if it is just a single referral centre, it is a good beginning, we can’t solve everything in one day, but it is better than doing nothing because it is easy to start something and stop, but is it better to sustain it. These are going to be driven by data and we will get there.”

“We had this 10-year master plan for infrastructure. The challenges are there. One thing we have carefully done is this donor mentality, looking for foreign aid, we are not going to be looking for funding from any foreign bodies, and we have the wherewithal to put things in place. The 10-year master plan, hopefully by 2024, it would be achieved.”

In this article

• Gen. Yakubu Gowon

cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Why are you flagging this comment?

I disagree with this user

Targeted harassment - posted harassing comments or discussions targeting me, or encouraged others to do so

Spam - posted spam comments or discussions

Inappropriate profile - profile contains inappropriate images or text

Threatening content - posted directly threatening content

Private information - posted someone else's personally identifiable information

Before flagging, please keep in mind that Disqus does not moderate communities. Your username will be shown to the moderator, so you should only flag this comment for one of the reasons listed above.

We will review and take appropriate action.

Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox every day of the week. Stay informed with the Guardian’s leading coverage of Nigerian and world news, business, technology and sports.

Please Enable JavaScript in your Browser to Visit this Site.

Medvisit Nigeria

• 1A, Johnson Oguntuyo street, Atunrase estate, Gbagada Lagos.

Speak With A Consultant

+234 913 024 7317

Nigeria's First Full Service Medical Tourism Agency

Why medvisit, partnership.

We partner with leading hospitals and expert doctors in three countries to ensure you receive the best positive treatment.

Cooperation

Seamless cooperation with local doctor in Nigeria to ensure patients get good follow-up care

We only work with the best hospitals with international accreditation and pedigree of excellence.

All our hospitals have dedicated international patients service teams that help the patients as well as companions throughout their stay.

Personalized Care

Personalized care by one of the most reliable medical travel company in Nigeria

The lowest possible cost for medical care and treatment abroad.

Our Unique Offerings

When dealing with medical issues, consulting with another doctor can be an important step to finding best care. That is why we provide patients with free second opinion from our expert panel of doctors.

We set up video conferencing calls for you with our expert consultants to establish rapport between you and the doctors and give you opportunities to ask questions before you travel.

Processing visa can sometimes be complex. However, our trained assistants will help with all your visa procedures from documentation and beyond so you focus on getting ready for treatment.

We desire the best for our patients and have looked beyond just airport shuttle to providing concierge services to comfortably cater for your needs throughout your stay.

We provide all-round logistics to give patients a memorable stay including assisting you to find affordable hotel or guest house tailored to your needs, foods, translator etc.

To ensure your energy is solely expended on you Getting better, we are sure to help you handle all formalities like check in, admission, taking care of post-discharge follow-up etc

Should you desire it, we assist with arranging tours upon treatment completion so you can see the sights and sounds of the region after you’re feeling your best

• Medvisit enquiries: [email protected]
• Call Us: +234 913 024 7317

To read this content please select one of the options below:

Please note you do not have access to teaching notes, medical tourism in nigeria: a multivariate analysis of challenges faced by patrons.

International Journal of Tourism Cities

ISSN : 2056-5607

Article publication date: 4 December 2017

The purpose of this paper is to examine multivariate analysis of challenges faced by patrons of medical tourism in Lagos metropolis, Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

Systematic sampling technique was employed to select 15 specialized private hospitals and 14 Public hospitals in the study area, resulting to a sample size of 29 hospitals. Ten patrons were contacted in each of the selected hospitals; consequently, 290 patrons were sampled.

The major challenges faced across the selected hospitals in the study area as revealed by this study included time spent in transit to hospital (PKI=3.96 and Mean Dev.=0.77), payment procedure is quick and simple (PKI=3.86 and Mean Dev.=0.67), package pricing is not transparent (PKI=3.76 and Mean Dev. =0.57), hospital facilities and equipment are not easily accessible (PKI=3.63 and Mean Dev.=0.44), Doctors do not pay enough attention to patrons (PKI=3.61 and Mean Dev.=0.42), Doctors do not give adequate explanation of patrons condition (PKI=3.49 and Mean Dev.=0.30), High cost of treatments (PKI=3.32 and Mean Dev.=0.13). The result of multiple regression analysis that produced ( R 2 =0.933, F =296.080, p =0.000) meaning that challenges faced by patrons explain 99.3 percent variation of their destination choice.

Originality/value

The study revealed that challenges face by patrons determine their destination choice.

• Medical tourism
• Domestic medical tourism
• Multivariate analysis

Acknowledgements

This paper forms part of a special section on “Tourism in contemporary cities”.

Agbabiaka, H.I. , Omisore, E.O. and Odunsi, O. (2017), "Medical tourism in Nigeria: a multivariate analysis of challenges faced by patrons", International Journal of Tourism Cities , Vol. 3 No. 4, pp. 339-349. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJTC-12-2016-0053

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2017, International Tourism Studies Association

Related articles

We’re listening — tell us what you think, something didn’t work….

Report bugs here

All feedback is valuable

Please share your general feedback

Join us on our journey

Platform update page.

Visit emeraldpublishing.com/platformupdate to discover the latest news and updates

Questions & More Information

Answers to the most commonly asked questions here

• Advertise with us
• Friday, May 10, 2024

Most Widely Read Newspaper

PunchNG Menu:

• Special Features
• Sex & Relationship

ID) . '?utm_source=news-flash&utm_medium=web"> Download Punch Lite App

Nigeria’s medical tourism spending rises by over 40%

File Photo: Medical tourism

Kindly share this story:

• Nigeria will be food sufficient in my tenure, Tinubu brags
• Nigeria, a country that demolishes more than it builds
• Nigeria needs $8bn yearly to fight HIV/AIDS - Reps committee

The PUNCH journalist, Lara, has over 10 years experience covering health, environment and CSOs

• medical tourism

All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Contact: [email protected]

Stay informed and ahead of the curve! Follow The Punch Newspaper on WhatsApp for real-time updates, breaking news, and exclusive content. Don't miss a headline – join now!

ONLINE FOREX, BITCOIN AND BINARY MANAGER. Do you require the service of a tested and trusted experienced trader who can help you trade your online Forex, Bitcoin and Binary accounts for minimum 10-20% weekly profit?. Click here for details WhatsApp: +2348030797998

Want ₦100,000 in Free Bets? Sign up on Livescore to get it now! Register here .

Latest News

Ondo women groups demand female deputy gov, nigeria on track to attain food security – tinubu, beware of unregistered real estate agents, lagos warns investors, usaid, coca-cola foundation partner on plastic waste management, foundation empowers women in entrepreneur skills.

Solidarity: Over 100 priests, palace chiefs storm court for Benin monarch

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, conse adipiscing elit.

• Financial Analysis
• Corporate Stories
• Investigations
• Commodities
• Company Results
• Stock Market
• Fixed Income
• Market Views
• Company News
• Consumer Goods
• Corporate Updates
• Corporate deals
• Corporate Press Releases
• Entertainment
• Financial Services
• Hospitality & Travel
• Manufacturing
• Real Estate and Construction
• Nairalytics
• Research Analysis
• Public Debt
• Business News
• Career tips
• Personal Finance
• Billionaire Watch

Medical Tourism: Nigerian Laboratory Council to save $2 billion on foreign diagnosis annually

The Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) has unveiled plans to tackle the annual outflow of two billion dollars spent by Nigerians seeking quality diagnoses abroad.   

Dr. Tosan Erhabor, the Registrar of MLSCN, shared this insight during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bloom Public Health, a non-governmental organization (NGO).  

What He Said  

Related Stories

Medical Laboratory Scientists Association rejects Dr. Salako’s appointment as chairman

“Over 10,000 Medical Laboratory Scientists have left Nigeria” – MLSCN

Erhabor highlighted the transformative potential of collaboration in improving the sub-sector, emphasising the goal of providing patients with accurate and reliable test results.  

The partnership aims to shift the narrative of poor health indices in Nigeria, discouraging health tourism and saving the nation substantial funds spent annually on seeking qualitative diagnoses abroad.  

• “The coming together of the council and Bloom Public Health promises to change the narrative of poor health indices in the country. It will discourage health tourism to other climes and potentially save the country the sum of two billion dollars reportedly spent annually by the citizens in search of qualitative diagnosis.”  

The focus of the partnership includes capacity building for medical laboratory professionals, particularly at the primary healthcare level.  

Leveraging Bloom’s continental reach, donor-funded project experience, and technical expertise, coupled with the MLSCN’s institutional base and network of scientists, the collaboration aims to significantly enhance the quality of healthcare in Nigeria.  

Prof. Chimezie Anyakaora, Executive Officer of Bloom Public Health, emphasised the significance of the partnership in enhancing the country’s laboratory system.   

He stressed that the collaboration would lead to extensive training opportunities for experts, with the ultimate goal of ensuring that every Nigerian has access to proper healthcare at the primary healthcare level.  

Dr. Donald Ofili, Director and Deputy Registrar of MLSCN, addressed the current deficiencies in the country’s health system, citing the lack of human resources and infrastructure.   

He highlighted the crucial role of capacity building in addressing healthcare issues and expressed optimism that the partnership would contribute to positive changes in the country’s health indices.  

The collaborative efforts between MLSCN and Bloom Public Health signify a strategic move towards strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system, reducing dependency on foreign diagnoses, and fostering a culture of quality healthcare within the country.  

Chioma Chukwunedu

Chioma Chukwunedu is a pharmacist and health analyst. She uses data and articles to educate the public about healthcare services and systems so they can make informed decisions about their health.

Related Posts

Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria to double admission quota in 48 Universities 

Dangote refinery secures license to refine over 300,000 barrels of crude daily

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Business News | Stock Market | Money Market | Cryptos | Financial Literacy | SME |

Recent News

Tunde odukale exits as chairman of firstbank ltd, to be replaced by ebenezer olufowose, asr africa begins the construction of the abdul samad rabiu classroom blocks for the university of uyo under its tertiary education grants scheme.

• ASUU rejects FG’s N35,000 wage award, insists on negotiated salary for members

Follow us on social media:

• Download Nairametrics iOS App
• Download Nairametrics Android App
• Financial Literacy
• Ads Disclaimer

© 2024 Nairametrics

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Remember Me

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

• International Day of Maternal Health and Rights 2024: Safer Hands set to host annual summit towards addressing Maternal Health issues in Nigeria
• Tackling Assault against Female Medical Doctor in the Work Environment
• Medical Women in Plateau Reach Out to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) in Mangu LGA
• Advancing Women’s Health and Wellbeing through High-Quality Research and Career Progression ~ Prof. Bosede Afolabi, HOD, Obstetrics and Gynaecology & Director, CCTRIS, University of Lagos
• ACSHR 2024: Ensuring Regulation, Costing Analysis and Accountability in the Reproductive Healthcare Industry across Africa
• ACSHR 2024: Linking, Learning and Acting towards Advancing the Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights of Women and Young People in Africa

Debunking Myths and Truths about Infertility and Surrogacy

Important reproductive health information for women and young people.

• Untold Stories of Medical School Setbacks: Moving on from Nursing to Public Health
• Making Nigeria the hub for Cancer Care in West Africa ~ Dr Modupe Elebute-Odunsi, CEO of Marcelle Ruth Cancer Centre & Specialist Hospital

Medical Tourism and Associated Risks in Nigeria

Medical tourism – simply put – refers to people traveling abroad for medical treatment.

INTRODUCTION In history, this generally appertain to those who travelled from under-developed countries to major medical centers in highly advanced countries for treatments perceived as “unapproachable” at home. Albeit, in recent times it may equally relate to those from developed countries, who travel to developing countries for “lower-priced” medical treatments. The motivation may also be for medical services unattainable or unlicensed in their home country.

Most frequently, medical tourism is done for surgeries (cosmetic and non-cosmetic) or similar treatments. People also travel for dental tourism, birth tourism and fertility tourism. Likewise, people with rare conditions may travel to countries where the treatment is very well understood. However, nearly all types of health care services – including psychiatry, alternative medicine, convalescent care, and even burial services – can be gotten via medical tourism.

Health tourism – on the other hand – is a wider term for trip that focuses on medical treatments and the use of healthcare services, also known as wellness tourism. But for the sake of this article, we will only talk about medical tourism in depth.

Globally, medical tourism has contributed immensely to the growth and development of the health care system and the countries that engage in it, because it attracts people from all over the world, thereby adding value to the countries involved. Medical tourism providers have also developed as “interposers” who unite corporate medical excursionists with surgeons, provider hospitals and other relevant associations.

HISTORY OF MEDICAL TOURISM The first recorded case of people travelling for medical treatment dates back millennia ago to when Greek pilgrims travelled from the eastern Mediterranean to a small area in the Saronic Gulf called Epidauria (small city in Greece). Also, the early forms of medical tourism were to Spa municipalities and homes.

In the 18th-century, European patients visited spas because they were places with apparently “health-giving” mineral waters used in treating conditions such as gout, liver diseases and bronchitis. Spas were common all over Europe in places like Hungary, Austria, and Germany. The United States inherited this tradition, and numerous Americans travelled to natural springs in the southwestern regions around the 18th century as well. This practice is hardly unique to Europeans and Americans. In Japan, mineral springs have been used for centuries and in India, the practice may go as far back as 5,000 years ago.

From the time of the Ancient Greeks to our ultramodern period today, the reasons people engage in medical tourism have not exactly changed that much. These reasons include cost, treatment time, insurance content, the explicit knowledge or misunderstanding of an illness in patient’s native country.

INTERNATIONAL HEALTHCARE ACCREDITATION International healthcare accreditation is the process of certifying a “position of quality” for healthcare providers and programs across multiple countries. International healthcare accreditation associations certify a wide range of healthcare programs such as hospitals, primary care centers, medical transport, and ambulatory care services. This is important to medical tourism, because it provides a standard measure and reassurance for good quality and safe healthcare globally.

There are a number of international healthcare accreditation schemes available in different countries around the world and the oldest international accrediting body is Accreditation Canada. Formerly known as the Canadian Council on Health Services Accreditation, they accredited the Bermuda Hospital Board as early as 1968. Since then, it has accredited hospitals and health service associations in ten other countries.

The different international healthcare accreditation schemes vary in quality, size, intent, skill and intensity of their marketing. Also, they vary in terms of cost to the hospitals and healthcare institutions making use of them.

MEDICAL TOURISM IN NIGERIA Africans are high targets for medical tourism. In Nigeria alone, trip to India for healthcare generated greater than “260 million US$ in spending” in 2019. Patients also travel to other countries asides India – especially South Africa, Dubai, China, and Malaysia, as well as traditional destinations in the United Kingdom and the United States.

According to Price Waterhouse Coopers (2016) report, Nigerians spend $1 billion annually on medical tourism with 60% of it on four crucial specialties like: Oncology , Orthopaedics, Nephrology and Cardiology. This is nearly 20% of the total government spending on public health sector for that period, including hires of all public sector doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers, as well as other health programs like malaria, tuberculosis, polio and HIV/AIDS prevention. As the total government expenditure on health sector reported then stood at $5.85 billion.

Nigerians – with an estimated periodic spending of 1 to 20 billion US dollars on medical tourism – are huge contributors to this industry. Numerous Nigerians travel to countries such as India and UK for various treatments including cardiac surgeries, neurosurgeries, cosmetic surgeries, orthopedic surgeries, and renal transplant surgeries .

Going down memory lane, in 2005, the Nigerian President wife died after undergoing a cosmetic surgery in Spain. More recently in June 2016, the current president of the country travelled to the UK in order to attend to a “persistent ear infection” – despite the number of ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) specialists and a national ear hospital in the country. Similarly, lots of prominent Nigerians have continued to travel overseas for medical services, even though the country is able of treat their ailments – they always look for an alternate option outside the country.

RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH MEDICAL TOURISM While medical tourism could give access to health care services that aren’t available in departure countries, several issues such as cost of service, follow-up after surgery, quality of care, and adverse effects are challenges that have plagued the industry worldwide.

Medical tourism carries some pitfalls that “locally provided medical care” either doesn’t carry or carries to a lower degree. A study reported that nine of 23 cases (39%) who presented at a healthcare facility in Nigeria after receiving neurosurgical care outside the country, failed from complications of the procedures they had undergone. Upon return to the country, over a quarter of these cases presented with infections challenging follow-up care that wasn’t originally planned and that incurred unplanned charges, which pushed the cost of care to extremely high and situations.

Medical tourists, in their shot to seek care, are exposed to contagious microbes that are uncommon in their native surroundings, thereby easing the transfer of these contagious agents across geographic boundaries. These nosocomial infections acquired abroad can cause devastating outbreaks in their home countries where essential immunity to similar microbes is missing.

Recognizing the financial viability of Nigeria as a source of medical tourists, MTF (Medical Tourism Facilitators) agencies have moved into the country to have direct access to the population. This trend now also includes physicians who are approached with a request to refer patients to specific practices outside the country and in return receive some financial inducements. Although little has been proved about physicians acting as MTFs or their agents around the world, referrals to more advanced centers have been a worldwide practice of service delivery. However, these international referrals and patient recruitments are increasing with globalization and might be open to abuse.

Furthermore, the limited nature of legal sanctions in various countries is a reason for accessibility of care overseas. While some countries presenting themselves as “very pleasant medical tourism destinations” provide some form of legal remedies for medical malpractice, these provided legal avenues may be unpleasing to the medical tourist. Should problems arise, patients might not be covered by adequate personal insurance or might be unfit to seek compensation via malpractice lawsuits.

Likewise, the quality of post-operative care can also vary dramatically, depending on the health clinic and country, e.g., the US standards may differ from the European standards. Also, traveling long distances soon after surgery can increase the risk of complications. Long flights and reduced mobility associated with window seats can predispose one towards developing deep vein thrombosis and potentially a pulmonary embolism that can led to death.

Similarly, patients traveling to countries with less strict surgical standards may be at high risk for complications. However, the patient may need to stay in the foreign country for longer than planned or if they’ve returned home; they might not have easy access to follow up care, if there are any complications.

RECOMMENDATIONS The Nigerian government needs to improve the nation’s health sector, so as to prevent patients from taking long flights to other developing countries for health care treatment. Improved health care system in the country will also prevent risks of people coming in with foreign pathogens after they had sought out health care overseas.

A standard health care system will likewise attract foreign nationals to invest in the country, thereby inviting medical tourists into the country to seek health care. This will definitely boost the country’s economy, as it is a form of tourism i.e., reverse medical tourism .

Invariably, Medical tourism needs to be looked into, either as a way of boosting the economy or as a way of preventing more expenses.

Although several hospitals in the country carry out specialized surgeries – due to the belief that getting treatment overseas is far better than getting treatment in Nigeria – these hospitals are hardly patronized, especially by top national executives who should be ambassadors of the nation. Hence, the common saying that “ hospitals in Nigeria are not as standard as hospitals abroad ” should be critically looked into and proactively worked on to reduce the cost implication and risk associated with seeking medical care abroad.

REFERENCES https://guardian.ng/features/quality-investment-in-health-sector-only-solution-to-stopping-medical-tourism/ https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_tourism

The Truth about Medical Tourism

The History of Medical Tourism

Medical tourism gulped $6.23m in eight months – Report

About Author: Nofisat Bukola Akinremi (BSc. Microbiology, MSc. Ecotourism) is a medical microbiologist and passionate advocate for SDGs, ecology and biodiversity.

Related Stories

The “Google Patient”: Balancing the Doctor-patient encounter as a Generalist

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your Name (required)

Your Email (required)

Your Website (optional)

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• International 2 Open submenu
• Health & Wellbeing
• Life & Style
• Rest of the World

Study Reveals Nigerians Spend Over $1.5bn on Medical Tourism Annually

Ahmad Sorondinki in Kano.

The Pfizer-established research institute, Kano Independent Research Centre Trust (KIRCT) has lamented the rate of medical tourism which costs Nigeria over $1.5 billion annually.

The head of the center, Prof. Jamilu Ismail, disclosed this during the opening ceremony of Kilimanjaro Hospital, yesterday, in Kano. Ismail, decried the current brain drain in the country in which specialists and medical personnel leave the country in search of greener pastures due to a lack of facilities.

He said as part of efforts to curb medical tourism and brain drain in Nigeria, the center had opened a global standard hospital for the treatment of diseases of the heart and kidney as well as cancer in Kano. He added that if such facilities were provided in the country it would discourage Nigerians who go on medical tourism seeking treatment for kidney, cancer and heart disease.

“Currently, medical tourism is a big business and Nigeria is losing a lot to medical tourism. Some studies have shown that Nigerians spend between $1.5 billion to $2 billion annually on medical tourism, especially for heart diseases, kidney diseases, cancer, and other diseases as well. “So, because of that, we have challenges in our hospital settings, maybe due to lack of equipment, and currently we are also having an issue where a lot of our specialists and doctors are leaving the country.

“Because of that, we felt it an opportunity that if we can provide these services we can curtail that medical tourism. “Instead of people leaving and going to other countries, they have to look for visas, pay for tickets, pay for accommodation elsewhere, you can come comfortably here within the vicinity of your immediate family and culture and receive the needed medical care. You will also receive good quality services.

“We are doing it in phases, in the first year we are going to provide the general services of the highest quality. Then in the second year, we are going to start the high-end services like treatment for heart diseases, kidney diseases, and other high-end medical and surgical problems.

“Perhaps in the next two years we should be able to compete favorably with other countries that are providing healthcare at a particular quality level, ” he stated.

Related Articles

Founded on January 22, 1995, THISDAY is published by THISDAY NEWSPAPERS LTD., 35 Creek Road Apapa, Lagos, Nigeria with offices in 36 states of Nigeria , the Federal Capital Territory and around the world. It is Nigeria’s most authoritative news media available on all platforms for the political, business, professional and diplomatic elite and broader middle classes while serving as the meeting point of new ideas, culture and technology for the aspirationals and millennials. The newspaper is a public trust dedicated to the pursuit of truth and reason covering a range of issues from breaking news to politics, business, the markets, the arts, sports and community to the crossroads of people and society.

Helpful Links

• Privacy Policy
• Terms & Conditions

You can email us at: [email protected] or visit our contact us page.

Medical Tourism, Demographics and Nigeria’s Health System

• Post author: Helpman Associates
• Post published: September 28, 2019
• Post category: Uncategorized
• Post comments: 0 Comments

Medical tourism refers to cross-border movement of people to receive medical, dental or surgical care, driven by affordability, accessibility or better quality of care than is available in the home country or region. It represents a growing market that connects the healthcare, tourism and hospitality industries.

The global medical tourism market is estimated at US$38.5-55.0 billion based on estimated 11 million cross-border patients and per capita expenditure of US$3500-5000 per visit in 2014. The industry is estimated to grow at 15-25% per annum, faster than any individual economy around the world. The growth of the industry is driven by advances in information-communications technology, decreasing cost of international travels, changes in transnational disease patterns, and asymmetries healthcare industry developments around the world.

Although the industry had existed since ancient times, when ancient Greeks and Egyptians went in search of health-enhancing hot springs and baths, its growth became noticeable in the 18 th and 19 th centuries when middle-class Europeans and Americans flocked to health spas and sanitariums even in remote places in the hope of finding treatment for diseases such as tuberculosis, gout, bronchitis or liver diseases.

In the 20 th century, medical tourism was driven prominently by wealthy people traveling from developing countries in search of advanced healthcare in developed countries. However, the 21 st century emerging pattern involves travels from more developed countries to less developed countries and within regions in search of affordable treatments.

Medical tourism is driven by a combination of push and pull factors. Patients in advanced countries such as the United Kingdom and Canada where universal health coverage (or socialized medicine) results in long waiting times for treatment often seek treatment in countries where they would not have to wait; high costs of healthcare in the United States induce patients to seek treatment in countries such as Mexico and India where prices are affordable; immigrants travel back to their home countries to receive care in health systems they are familiar with; expatriates return to countries in which they once lived and arrange care in facilities offering what they regard as high-quality, comparatively low-cost and consumer-oriented treatment; patients in need of medical interventions not approved in home countries (for example stem cell injections of unknown therapeutic effect and risk) travel to countries including China, India and Ukraine where such restrictions are less binding; and others travel overseas for procedures that are illegal in their home countries (for example commercial kidney transplant) to destinations where they are not challenged by laws.

The top specialties for medical travelers are cosmetic surgery, dentistry (general, restorative and cosmetic), cardiovascular surgeries (angioplasty, CABG, transplants), orthopedics (joint and spine; sports medicine), cancer treatments (often high-acuity or last resort), reproductive health (fertility, IVF, women’s health), weight loss surgeries (LAP-BAND, gastric bypass) and scans, tests, health screenings and second opinions.

Current top global destinations for medical tourism are Costa Rica, India, Israel, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and the United States. In the African region , South Africa and Tunisia are listed as the leading earners from medical tourism. Tourists are attraction to these destinations primarily by advances in healthcare and reputation for clinical excellence, political transparency and commitment to international standards, and the state of tourism infrastructure. Being the primary source of attraction, advances in healthcare are driven by innovations, clinical quality assurance, and improvements in health infrastructure. Both government and private sector investments are critical to these advances.

Demographics play an overwhelming role in growth and development of medical tourism from both supply and demand sides. The population of top medical tourism destinations are dominated by early-to-mid adults; population age (median years) range between 27 in India and 40 in South Korea. [i] In addition, the top specialties for medical tourism are associated with health consumption of mid-to-late adults.

Countries with young populations are less likely to have the resources and pressure to develop the kind of health system that is required for the industry; infectious diseases are prominent and are the central emphasis of the health system and health investments in those countries. Similarly, countries with aging populations are less likely to find the space and resources to undertake the essential investments; they are saddled with chronic and degenerative diseases that require the most expensive types of treatment and prolonged care which constitute substantial drains on public investments in needed infrastructure.

Countries in intermediate but advanced stages of the demographic transition are endowed with dominantly middle-age adult population and have the greatest potentials for medical care exports. While health needs and demands of the population generates the pressure needed to innovate and develop healthcare services at home, their consumption of those services creates the incentives for further innovation and development-focused investments. If the conditions are right, a country with such endowment could generate substantial life cycle savings driven by labor income that could fund substantial investments in infrastructure, while taxation income could support research and innovation. Demographics also play an important role in shaping governance and private sector development. Demand for democratic governance and pressure on governance systems for transparency are significantly strengthened by an energetic adult population. Private sector development is driven by entrepreneurship and innovation that are associated mostly with vibrant early-to-mid adult population.

It is estimated that 30,000 Nigerians travel abroad every year for medical care and spend about $1billion in the process, and about a quarter of the sum was spent in India in 2012. Realization of the potential benefits to the economy if such expenditures are retained locally has prompted several reactions including calls for restriction of government sponsorship of public officials and channeling of more resources toward the health sector. The private sector health alliance has recently launched a new initiatives to address management capacity gaps in the health sector in order to stem the tide of these imports. While these initiatives are helpful, it is unclear that they can make substantial impacts on the health system in the absence of a coordinated effort to take a wholesome look at the health sector.

Nigeria is a young country with median population age of 18.2 years. Communicable diseases accounted for 66 percent of deaths in 2014 with non-communicable diseases and injuries making up 24 percent and 10 percent respectively. Thus the epidemiological profile is dominantly infectious, and efforts and resources are currently devoted to prevention and treatment of communicable diseases, among which malaria is predominant. However health service needs will shift toward treatment of non-communicable diseases as the country progresses through the demographic transition. Getting the health system ready to respond to the needs of the changing demographics requires different types of investment. The potential for Nigeria to become a medical tourism earner and reduce import of medical services depends on coordination of efforts to meet the healthcare needs emerging along the demographic transition.

Deliberate efforts, programs and policies that galvanize both private and public sector resources are needed to create a ready system. While health system infrastructure strengthening, upgrade and development are essential, research, innovations and clinical quality assurance are critical for advancement of the health system and development of medical tourism. Central to these outcomes is a culture of knowledge development through data collection, management, analysis and interpretation, and engagement of decision makers at various levels of the healthcare system, through both operational and policy levels, to use the knowledge and discoveries in making needed changes and implementing proffered solution to existing challenges. The quality of human resources for health depends on the depth of this culture; it is difficult to imagine a system of health training that is more sophisticated than the depth of knowledge generated through its healthcare system.

Nigeria is currently not positioned for medical service export neither can it restrict its import, owing to unfavorable demographics, weak infrastructure, lack of innovation and a poor culture of knowledge development and management. However, demographic conditions would change in near future and present opportunities to develop the export market. The question is whether the health system will be prepared!

[i] Median age in years for the remaining countries are Costa Rica (30.0), Israel (29.9), Malaysia (27.7), Mexico (27.3), Singapore (33.8), Taiwan (39.2), Thailand (36.2), Turkey (29.6) and the United States (37.8).

You Might Also Like

Press Release by CDD West Africa: The 2019 Buharimeter Survey

Making Sense of Nigeria’s Growing Population

Nigeria’s Knowledge Economy and Global Competitiveness

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Medical Tourism: FG Hails Abuja Hospital On Facilities For Kidney Care

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, has commended Caroline Medical Centre, Abuja, for its new state-of-the-art facilities dedicated to revolutionising kidney care in Nigeria.

Pate made the commendation yesterday while commissioning dialysis machines at the hospital's new branch.

Represented by Professor Muhammad Raji Mahmud, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the National Hospital, Abuja, Pate said the facilities were a shining light in the fight against the burden of medical tourism and the high mortality rate associated with kidney disease in the country.

He said, 'We stand here filled with immense pride and a deep sense of responsibility. This facility stands as a testament to the renewed focus on healthcare by this administration led by His Excellency, President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who has pledged to bring renewed hope to Nigerians from all walks of life regardless of their social class or background. An essential part of the president's agenda is to invest in infrastructure, equipment, human resources and clinical governance systems, thereby elevating the quality of healthcare available to all Nigerians.'

He noted that Caroline Medical Centre was a symbol of hope for Nigerians and promised to provide world-class treatment 'right here at home', reducing the need for Nigerians to go abroad for medical care. The CMD of the hospital, Dr Elijah Miner, noted that the cost of medical tourism on kidney issues was over $1bn, saying, 'So, it is a lot of money, and the only way we can deal with it is by having centres like this and trying to reverse the trend; and it can happen.'

He said over 1,000 people had undergone dialysis in the hospital's facility, with about 1,000 transplants carried out in the last four and half years. He called on the government to help in supporting dialysis patients and producing consumables locally.

Itoro Out, a patient on dialysis, said he was diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease in 2022 and had been on dialysis since then. While describing the treatment as expensive, he urged the government to subsidise dialysis and transplant the way it subsidised HIV/AIDS drugs and treatment.

The Chairman of the occasion, Senator Ned Nwoko, said it was important to equip hospitals in the country and also pay health workers better remuneration to address the 'japa' syndrome.

The Rise of Medical Tourism

Nose jobs in turkey. dental implants in mexico. kidney transplants in india..

Patients around the world are increasingly opting for medical treatment abroad over health care at home. This trend, known as medical tourism, happens for varied reasons, with accompanying risks and mixed results.

The Reasons

Cost : Medical treatments may be significantly cheaper abroad than in an individual’s home country. This is especially true for elective surgeries such as cosmetic operations, dental procedures, fertility treatments, and organ transplants. For example, according to the AEDIT Medical Advisory Board, a rhinoplasty currently costs up to $20,000 in the US; up to $15,000 in Canada; up to $6000 in Colombia; and up to $3,600 in Japan.

Timing : Patients may manage to avoid long wait times for high-demand procedures by traveling to another country for care. In 2018, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development reported that wait times for elective surgeries among member countries were the lowest in Denmark, whereas they were the highest in Chile. Some international health clinics have shorter wait times and less regulatory requirements, so scheduling a surgery abroad can be one way to skip the line at home.

Access : Part of medical tourism’s allure is that certain medical treatments are more accessible in certain countries. In some cases, a procedure that is restricted or illegal in someone’s home country may be more available beyond borders. For example, people seeking stem cell therapy are often drawn to the Caribbean, where there are fewer restrictions on this controversial practice.

Quality : Some international destinations are renowned for high-quality care, cutting-edge technologies, and state-of-the-art facilities. In 2019, the Medical Travel Quality Alliance’s list of the world’s best hospitals included facilities in Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan, Germany, Thailand, Malaysia, Canada, and the Czech Republic. These hospitals reportedly have some of the greatest staff and equipment in the world.

Culture : People may be drawn to certain countries for the local languages, customs, and values. A location’s cultural environment can make medical travel more comfortable and even enjoyable. This is especially true for patients visiting destinations where they are more accustomed to the culture or more near to loved ones.

Safety : Health care and hygiene standards vary across countries. In some cases, travelers may face an increased risk of surgical blunders or postoperative infections. The US Center for Disease Control reported in 2024 that the most common complications for medical tourists are bloodborne infections, donor-derived infections, and wound infections.

Regulation : Medical procedures that are unregulated abroad may be risky and even ethically questionable. Some governments choose to restrict controversial medical practices such as human embryonic stem cell therapy, genetic modification, or unproven cancer treatments. A lack of sufficient research or regulation may increase the dangers of undergoing such procedures.

Unfamiliarity : Receiving medical treatment amid an unfamiliar language, culture, and health care system could pose challenges for patients. Accurate information about medical procedures may be more difficult to find abroad, and misunderstandings could have dire consequences.

Recovery : Travel-related stress from jet lag, climate differences, or culture shock could impede the healing process. After returning home, patients may struggle to recover, especially if follow-up care is inadequate.

Expense : Although medical procedures abroad may be more affordable at the outset, they could turn out to be expensive in the long run, especially when factoring in travel costs. In the case of postoperative complications or expenses, insurance coverage may not apply, and compensation is not guaranteed.

The Results

Globalization : Medical tourism breaks down traditional borders and contributes to increased global travel, trade, and interconnectedness. Travel for medical purposes may broaden patients’ perspectives on health care.

Competition : As people become more aware of diverse treatment opportunities, they are more likely to compare and choose between options based on features such as cost and quality. This could lead to a more consumer-based health care market in which medical providers around the world compete to attract international patients, in turn increasing the quality and efficiency of care.

Reform : Competition in the health care market could place pressure on global health care systems to improve the services they offer. Policymakers may consider reforming their own health care systems, while insurance providers may shift toward more international coverage options.

Innovation : Increased medical travel could lead to increased sharing of medical technology across borders. The demand for cutting-edge treatments may drive medical research and innovation across the globe.

Inequality : Although medical tourism can be a cost-saving option, it may not be affordable for everyone. Those who have the funds to travel for treatment may take precedence over local patients and strain local health care systems. Medical tourism may therefore intensify the inequality in health outcomes among people of varying socioeconomic status.

Increasing numbers of patients are choosing to travel abroad for medical treatment. The results, on both personal and global scales, continue to unfold. For good or for bad, medical tourism will likely continue to reshape travel and health care for people around the world.

• Hausa Edition
• Conferences
• LeVogue Magazine
• Business News
• Print Advert Rates
• Online Advert Rates

Nigeria’s Lookman Scores As Atalanta Beat Marseille To Reach First Europa League Final 

Ex-S’Eagles Star Tijjani Babangida Cheats Death, Loses Brother In Ghastly Accident

Atletico Stadium Closure For Racist Abuse Overturned

Foden, Palmer Lead Premier League Young Player Of The Year Nominees

• Entertainment
• 2023 Elections
• National Economy

Nigeria’s Telehealth Company Participates In Global Health Tourism Forum

DoctorCare247, Nigeria‘s leading telehealth company and the Nigerian network partner of the Turkish Healthcare Travel Council (THTC), participated in the 6th Global Healthcare Travel Forum (GHTF) conference.

The conference, organised by the Global Healthcare Travel Council (GHTC), was held in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and brought together representatives from 56 countries. 

In his remarks at the end of the conference, the MD/CEO, DoctorCare247, Chuks Melville Chibundu, hlighted the meeting‘s key takeaways and how the company will leverage them to further its mission of providing Nigerians with affordable access to world-class healthcare. 

The theme of the 6th GHTF conference was „Innovation and Cooperation in Global Health Tourism.“ Chibundu said DoctorCare247 is committed to exploring partnerships with the THTC to bring innovative healthcare technologies to Nigerians seeking medical care abroad.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the Global Healthcare Travel Council and President of the Cyprus Healthcare Travel Council, Dr. Ahmet Savaşan said there is a rapid growth of health tourism internationally and called for more collaboration among stakeholders in the sector. 

Dr. Savaşan said the conference‘s timely theme of „Innovation and Cooperation in Global Health Tourism“ is aimed at „producing innovative solutions to challenges in our sector, supporting sustainable development and creating a strong synergy for its future.“ 

Nutrition: FeedUp Africa Carries Out Outreach In Ogun

Group Takes Anti-drug Campaign To Abia Schools

Minister Tasks Nasarawa Governor On ODF Campaign

NACA Empowers Youths On Social Media Advocacy Against HIV/AIDS

Earlier, the founding chairman of the Global Healthcare Travel Council, Emin Çakmak, spoke about the growth of the Turkish medical tourism industry and its commitment to providing high-quality healthcare services to international patients. 

He said “In the last 20 years, Turkey has invested over $50 billion in new hospitals and latest technologies. We have over 15,000 doctors who graduated from Western and Turkish medical universities and now serve patients in world-class Turkish hospitals.“ 

Çakmak added that due to „world-class medical services, hospitality infrastructure, geographic convenience and natural beauty, Turkey has become a preferred global healthcare destination across medical treatment, wellness, spa, thermalism, sports medicine, retirement and accessible tourism segments.“  

MT Prestigious Vessel Still In Navy’s Custody – Owners

Microsoft shuts down nigeria’s africa dev’t centre, sacks workers, you may like.

Microsoft Shuts Down Nigeria's Africa Dev't Centre, Sacks Workers

Trending now, how to check your 2024 utme results, kedco official found dead after phone call from ex-colleague, court awards actor femi adebayo n25m against streaming channel, ice spice’s sex tape ‘leaks’ on social media, updated: gas explosion kills 3, injures 1 in lagos, prince harry, meghan arrive nigeria friday, man lands in police net over vandalism on 3rd mainland bridge, breaking: again, crisis breaks out in rivers assembly as factional speaker emerges, just-in: reps order cbn to suspend cybersecurity levy, nile leads as maaun ranks 2nd best private varsity in northern nigeria.

© 2024 Leadership Media Group - All Rights Reserved .

• Friday, May 10, 2024

© 2023 - Businessday NG. All Rights Reserved.

• Today's news
• Reviews and deals
• Climate change
• 2024 election
• Fall allergies
• Health news
• Mental health
• Sexual health
• Family health
• So mini ways
• Unapologetically
• Buying guides

Entertainment

• How to Watch
• My watchlist
• Stock market
• Biden economy
• Personal finance
• Stocks: most active
• Stocks: gainers
• Stocks: losers
• Trending tickers
• World indices
• US Treasury bonds
• Top mutual funds
• Highest open interest
• Highest implied volatility
• Currency converter
• Basic materials
• Communication services
• Consumer cyclical
• Consumer defensive
• Financial services
• Industrials
• Real estate
• Mutual funds
• Credit cards
• Balance transfer cards
• Cash back cards
• Rewards cards
• Travel cards
• Online checking
• High-yield savings
• Money market
• Home equity loan
• Personal loans
• Student loans
• Options pit
• Fantasy football
• Pro Pick 'Em
• College Pick 'Em
• Fantasy baseball
• Fantasy hockey
• Fantasy basketball
• Download the app
• Daily fantasy
• Scores and schedules
• GameChannel
• World Baseball Classic
• Premier League
• CONCACAF League
• Champions League
• Motorsports
• Horse racing
• Newsletters

New on Yahoo

• Privacy Dashboard

Nigeria, twins and a love-hate relationship

On our arrival in Nigeria's self-proclaimed capital of twins to investigate the proliferation of multiple births in the small rural town of Igbo-Ora, we are greeted by the news that a woman has just delivered a healthy pair of babies at the local clinic.

Their mother is a twin - her twin brother is in the ward taking photos of the new arrivals, his nephew and niece. Surrounding the bed are the babies' grandmother, who is herself a twin, and their great-grandmother, who has given birth to two sets of twins.

"That's how we do it here. We give birth to twins. It makes our town special," the five-hour-old twins' grandmother tells the BBC.

"It makes us proud and we love them. We love our twins. They bring us success," she says.

"People are disappointed if they don't give birth to twins."

It is true that Igbo-Ora, in south-western Nigeria, appears to have a higher-than-usual number of twins - walking through the town it is easy to spot younger sets of twins, who tend to wear matching clothes.

The global average birth rate for twins is around 12 per 1,000 births, but in Igbo-Ora it is reported to be about 45 per 1,000.

In Yoruba culture, which predominates in the south-west of the country, twins are a blessing and their names are predestined.

Irrespective of gender, the older twin is called Taiwo, meaning "the one that tests the world", the younger is called Kehinde, meaning "the one that came after".

The next day, at Igbo-Ora's high school we find out that these names tend to dominate roll-call. When we ask a group of around 1,500 students during morning assembly to raise their hand if they are a twin, or have a twin in the family, nearly everyone's arm shoots up.

So why are there so many twins in the area?

According to oral folklore, the village was founded in the 14th Century by an exiled prince of the Oyo Kingdom, who was told to make specific offerings to the Yoruba gods in pairs and in return, the village was blessed with twins.

Many locals though put their fertility down to a dish called "ilasa", made from okra leaves. These spinach-like leaves are added to a pot of boiling water along with salt and spices, locust beans and melon seeds.

The reason behind Igbo-Ora's multiple births is a genuine subject of study in Nigeria.

Only a minority of the twins born in Igbo-Ora are identical - when one egg is fertilised and then divides.

The majority are non-identical, meaning multiple eggs are released and fertilised at the same time.

Researchers are investigating whether natural chemicals in the local food, like ilasa or perhaps even the local yams, might make women produce multiple eggs.

Prof Akinola Kehinde Akinlabi, rector of the Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology based in Igbo-Ora, thinks genetics may have more to do with it.

The academic, who is himself a twin - and father of twins, says someone born a twin in these parts will not find it hard to find a wife or husband.

"Twins are venerated almost as deities who bring good fortune and protection. People present twins and their families with gifts, money and offers of help. All that encourages people to marry those from twin-producing families," he tells the BBC.

The traditional ruler of the town, known as an oba, is eagerly awaiting the results of scientific studies.

Jimoh Olajide hopes that in a country with a love of setting Guinness World Records , Igbo-Ora will soon be officially recognised for its phenomenal fertility - given nearly every home in town has at least one set of twins.

"My vision for this town is to see us holding the world record for highest multiple births in the whole world," says Oba Olajide, who is of course a father of twins.

"Things that will follow will be tourism, hotels."

With this in mind, the town launched an annual international twin festival several years ago.

Prof Akinlabi hopes the focus on twins will also lead to investment for the broader community to tackle things like its poorly equipped and old health centres.

Such is the status of twins that despite the adoption of Islam and Christianity in this area the traditional Yoruba worship of them is still prevalent.

Kehinde Adeleke, our local guide and a younger twin, takes us to witness a ritual offering, including palm wine and beans, to the twin gods at a shrine in her family's community.

"I feel specially blessed as a twin," says Ms Adeleke who has two children, but no multiple births as yet.

"I will be disappointed if I don't have twins - it's the twins I need," she admits amid the drumming and singing at the ceremony.

Such attitudes were a complete anathema for some members of the minority Bassa-Komo community near the capital, Abuja. Twins for them have been a source of fear.

In the mid-1990s, Nigerian missionary Olusola Stevens heard the villagers in this remote and poorly developed area thought twins were evil and that they were mysteriously dying.

Such beliefs were not unheard of in Nigeria - especially in the south-east of the country where different communities once killed twins, though such practices ended long ago.

Pastor Stevens, based in Gwagwalada, about 600km (500 miles) north-east of Igbo-Ora, decided to investigate.

"We started going from community to community asking: 'Where are the twins?' The normal response was that the gods had killed them. In fact in some cases, the mother would not breastfeed them so they died naturally," he says.

The missionary found out that sometimes the babies would be given a plant concoction that stopped them gaining weight.

It is not clear exactly why such children were regarded as bad luck, but it may be that in the past they were linked to deprivation and increased risk of maternal mortality.

Pastor Stevens and his team began rescuing these children and set up The Vine Heritage Home orphanage, which currently looks after around 200 children.

To change attitudes, they began by providing villages with medical care, and wells to access clean water.

The orphanage also works with the charity Action Aid on an outreach programme funded by the European Union, while the government has also run a big awareness initiative.

As a result, many from the Bassa-Komo community now keep their twins, but if parents are still worried or in trouble, they hand the children over to the orphanage - and go to visit them there.

In fact, 27 of the children have grown up and accepted invitations to return to live in their family's village - though it is not always an easy decision for them.

"The first time I saw my biological father was when I turned 18 - I was angry because he abandoned me," says Olufemi Stevens, known by his nickname "Wonder Boy".

He grew up in the orphanage after his mother died in childbirth, but is pleased he was brave enough to go home: "When they saw me they came to realise these children are not evil.

"And when I went back I was amazed to see some twins with their own mum. My plan is to go back and set up a school for them - education is the key."

In a way, the orphanage children are much sought after as they have received a level of education that is unobtainable for most in their own community.

Pastor Stevens recognises that twins will never be as welcomed as they are in Igbo-Ora, but he is hopeful that one day his services will no longer be needed.

You can listen to the documentary Twin towns on the BBC World Service on Thursday 9 May 2024.

You may also be interested in:

How world-record mania has gripped Nigeria

The ultra-violent cult that became a global mafia

How Nigerian singers have won the hearts of Romanians

Go to BBCAfrica.com   for more news from the African continent.

Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica , on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica

Recommended Stories

Raiders dispute terrion arnold's claim that brock bowers was drafted instead of him by 'coin flip'.

NFL first-round draft pick Terrion Arnold says the Las Vegas Raiders nearly took him with the No. 13 selection but opted for Brock Bowers on a coin flip. The Raiders deny that was the case.

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature review: Get an annual companion pass and free checked bags

While Alaska Airlines primarily operates on the West Coast, even infrequent Alaskan travelers can get their money's worth on this card.

Six quarterback situations to worry about & three that are on the precipice | Zero Blitz

Jason Fitz, Charles Robinson and Frank Schwab talk about which quarterback rooms concern them and which they find interesting heading into the 2024 NFL season.

2024 Bentley Edition 8 models signal time's up for the gas-only V8

Bentley just revealed a few Edition 8 models to celebrate its 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine.

Tom Selleck says Harrison Ford must be 'sick' of hearing about how he was originally cast as Indiana Jones

The “Blue Bloods” actor talks about being offered the role of Indiana Jones in “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” but being contractually obligated to do “Magnum, P.I.”

'Breathable, cool and comfortable': This breezy cotton Hanes underwear is on sale for less than $2 apiece

'True to size and no visible panty line': These briefs have 6,000+ fans for their brand-name quality and bargain-basement price.

This portable paw cleaner saves floors and furniture from Fido's worst, and it's $12 — that's 50% off

Muddy dogs, meet your match: 'He loves this. He acts like he's getting a massage.'

This Mother’s Day give Mom the massage gun that 'melts the pain away' — it's on sale for $46 (that's 25% off)

'My muscles have never felt so loose and free!': Nearly 15,000 five-star fans praise this tension-taming gadget.

Trump trial updates: After Stormy Daniels wraps testimony, judge denies motions to declare mistrial and loosen Trump's gag order

When asked by lawyers for Donald Trump whether she had made up her story about a sexual affair with the former president, adult film actress Stormy Daniels had an emphatic, one-word answer: “No!”

Brunson leads Knicks over Pacers, Hornets hire Charles Lee & big questions for eliminated teams | No Cap Room

Jake Fischer and Dan Devine discuss the Knicks taking a 2-0 lead over the Pacers, the Hornets hiring a new head coach and some big questions for the Bucks, 76ers, Clippers & Magic.

Switch language:

FDA issues warning on Getinge device amid quality concerns

Following a series of voluntary recalls, the FDA has urged healthcare providers to avoid Getinge’s intra-aortic balloon pumps over safety concerns.

• Share on Linkedin
• Share on Facebook

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has urged healthcare providers not to use certain Getinge devices amid concerns that the company’s devices still pose a risk to users despite a previous recall.

In a statement published on 8 May, the FDA urged healthcare providers to move away from using the Cardiosave Hybrid and Rescue intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) by Swedish company Datascope, as it continues to receive reports of concern following a recall.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Australia Clot Management Devices Market Outlook to 2025 - CDT Cath...

Covid-19 impact on getinge ab's revenue and operations (medical dev..., premium insights.

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Related Company Profiles

It is also warning clinicians to move away from Getinge’s cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) devices, including the Getinge Cardiohelp system and HLS Sets. The FDA says that over the last 12 months, the FDA has received 2,964 medical device reports (MDR) related to Cardiosave IABPs, of those, 15 were reported as resulting in patient serious injury or death.

From 1 January 2023, Getinge has initiated 12 voluntary recalls in the US for the Cardiosave IABP. The FDA classified eight as a Class I recall – the most serious type of recall. Since then, the authority has continued to receive reports of concern.

The FDA said that some of the reports describe Cardiosave IABP devices shutting down, it has also been evaluating other concerns with the IABP, including blood entering the device, which can cause the device to rupture, or the patient or clinician provider being exposed to patient blood.

In a statement, the FDA said: “The FDA continues to work with the Getinge to understand factors contributing to the device failures, as well as possible mitigation strategies.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

“The FDA worked with the US Department of Justice to place Getinge manufacturing sites under a consent decree in 2015 and added the IABP manufacturing site in 2022. This action allows additional FDA oversight, an independent auditor, inspections, and updates on progress made toward addressing quality and safety concerns. At this time, the cardiopulmonary bypass and IABP facilities have not met the requirements to have the consent decree lifted.”

Elsewhere, Getinge has seen its CE certificate suspended over similar concerns after it had previously reinstated the company’s market authorisation following three months of working alongside certification body TÜV SÜD. In July 2023, the EU reinstated the company’s CE mark but has now withdrawn it for a second time due to gaps identified in compliance with applicable regulations.

The issues followed Getinge’s acquisition of an EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR) certificate for its Advanta V12 covered stent system designed specifically for patients living with aortoiliac occlusive disease.

Sign up for our daily news round-up!

Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights.

More Relevant

Tandem’s insulin pump app glitch triggers FDA Class I recall

Skin in the game: the latest issue of  medical technology is out now, 4c medical's altavalve gains dual breakthrough designations from fda, ihealth’s covid-19/flu rapid test secures fda eua, sign up to the newsletter: in brief, your corporate email address, i would also like to subscribe to:.

Medical Technology : Medical Device Network Focus (monthly)

Thematic Take (monthly)

I consent to Verdict Media Limited collecting my details provided via this form in accordance with Privacy Policy

Thank you for subscribing

View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network.