‘Many Nigerians die seeking overseas treatment’

The Chief Executive Officer, Asi Ukpo Diagnostic and Medical Centre, Calabar, Cross River State, Brig-Gen. Anthony Ukpo (retd), says many Nigerians die while seeking medical attention overseas.

Ukpo, who stated this, also called for proper development of the nation’s public and private health sector.

According to him, with proper facilities in the hospitals, the country will be able to reduce capital flight as well as save many lives.

Ukpo, while frowning on happenings in the public sector, urged owners of the private hospitals to expand investment in the sector.

He said, “The public sector, which is supposed to provide for health care in the country is moribund and literarily dead. The private sector was not investing previously but now they are gradually moving in to invest in the sector.

“I believe that over a period of time, when people get to know that there are good hospitals where get the kind of attention they want, they will be reluctant to seek medical attention overseas. This will indirectly reduce medical tourism.

“I say this because I know that many sick Nigerians die while seeking medical treatment abroad. I always say that it is better to seek treatment here. It is when you can’t get the required treatment in the country that you can consider travelling out.”

Ukpo, who decried the poor electricity supply in the country, noted that it was one of the challenges facing diagnostic centres.

He added, “One of the major challenges of doing business in the country is poor electricity power. Many medical equipment are sensitive and require stable power. For instance, if you are carrying out a major laboratory work and there is interruption in electricity supply, then, there is a problem.

“If this happens, you have truncated that process, so you cannot get accurate results. So, we are constantly backing up all our equipment with alternative sources of energy and this increases significantly the cost of operations making it difficult for one to provide services at an affordable rate. That is why we need the government to tackle the power supply challenges in the country.”