Nigeria's New Health Minister Vows To End Medical Tourism

Minister of health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, assured on Monday in Abuja that he would work toward ending medical tourism out of Nigeria.

He gave the assurance at his maiden meeting with the permanent secretary in the ministry of health, Kachollom Daju and its directors upon assumption of office.

He noted that there was a gap in health outcomes that needed to be improved upon.

“When you fly from Addis Ababa to New Delhi you see a lot of people going for medical tourism and it is not a thing we in the health sector should rest on our oars and regard as normal.

“We should do something about it and improve our health outcomes.

“It is important that we deal with the issues of governance to improve the governance of health.

“The Federal Government, states and local governments and other stakeholders will work together, including those who may be differently abled in the construct of health policy and implementation,’’ he said.

Mr Pate said also that the economic value chain existing in the health sector should be harnessed.

He noted that the role was for the private sector, though the mission was a core public one.

The minister also said that the agenda to harness the economic value chain in the health sector has to be carefully crafted with every stakeholder being a part of the conversation.