The Medical Director and Chief Cardiologist of the Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital, Victoria Island, Lagos, Dr Tosin Majekodunmi, has said that despite a significant improvement in health care service in the country, there is a need to invest in world-class health facilities and expertise in order to deliver quality care to the people.
Speaking during a briefing held last Friday to mark the second anniversary of the hospital, Majekodunmi said that Nigerians would be discouraged to travel abroad for treatment, if they could get the same quality of health care service in the country.
“To reduce the costs, stress and many inconveniences of international travel, the same quality of medical diagnostics and treatment that would be found in the United Kingdom or the United States can be done locally,” Majekodunmi said.
A Laparoscopic surgeon, Dr Abuchi Okaro, said the focus of the hospital was to get the best for the people and to put skills together in an enabling environment, stressing that it was important to get the commitment, safety and accuracy to reduce medical tourism.
The Managing Director of the hospital, Mr Glenn de Villiers, also said the facility was established to give Nigerian patients an international health care standard. He said the country could save over $1bn spent on annual medical tourism abroad through the provision of quality health care services in the country.
“We have established the need to cut down on medical tourism, bringing in medical consultants and necessary equipment, from an intensive care unit to a full span of diagnostic equipment. I believe all of this goes to show that we are here for the long haul, providing quality health care to Nigerians,” Villiers added.
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