… says Nigeria spends over $1.6bn on medical tourism annually
The Abia State Government (ABSG) in partnership with MKP International Holdings, has concluded plans to build a $3 billion world class medical city to reverse medical tourism in Nigeria and position Abia as a medical destination.
Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, Professor and Commissioner for Health, disclosed this over the weekend while conducting journalists round the site for the proposed Abia Medical City at Mbasaa, around Owerrinta in Isialangwa South LGA.
He said that the Medical City which sits on an expanse of land; about 200 hectares donated by seven communities within Isialangwa South and North LGAs, would cost three billion dollars.
Uche hinted that the project would be funded by development partners, MKP International Holdings, while the State Government would provide land security and goodwill.
“This medical city is the first quaternary hospital in this country that would take care of all levels of complicated healthcare issues.
“The Abia Medical City is one of the landmark projects of His Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR.
“Owing to the transparent record and of course the relentless visionary strides of his excellency, he was able to attract a well-known, globally reputable engineering procurement construction consortium, known as the MKP International Holdings, to finance, to fund, develop, build, operate and transfer this facility.
“The company already wishes to start construction even before the flag-off. So, everything is ready and you can see the very nice landscape,
“Because we know that medical tourism is one of the major drivers of capital flight in this country. It is estimated that about 1.6 billion Dollars, which many of us think is too conservative, is the amount of money that is lost from this country every year owing to medical tourism.
“So to reverse that and also to help curb the ‘JAKPA’ syndrome, he (Gov. Otti) envisioned the development and establishment of the first quaternary healthcare ecosystem in this country, and that is the Abia Medical City.”
Uche noted that the Medical City would have a 1,000-bed ultra-modern healthcare facility that could cater for every healthcare need of the people.
He said, “Apart from the ultra-modern medical facility, there also going to have a tourist city. The medical step-down hotel, there will be a five-star hotel and there will be another five-star tourist hotel.
“You’re also going to have an ultra-modern oncology centre. As you may well know, cancer care is one of the reasons people leave this country for care abroad.
“Whether you are talking about radiotherapy, you’re talking about radiosurgery, radio-oncology, you’re talking about emerging therapies, you’re talking about the neuro chemotherapeutic agents .
“All those are going to be available here with the best-in-class medical experts that can come in from all parts of the globe to be part of the workforce in this place. So this ecosystem will also house a modern surgical center that can take care of laparoscopic surgeries, robotic surgeries.
“It will also take care of all forms of brain, spine, orthopedic, organ transplantation, cardiac transplant, cardiac surgeries, name it, any level of surgery. There will also be a place for cosmetic surgery.
The Commissioner further stated that the Medical City would also have an ultramodern children’s hospital, a fertility centre, ophthalmology centre, organ transplantation, diagnostic centre, a hub for digital health technologies among others.’
