The President, Association of Medical Scientists of Nigeria, Toyosi Raheem, has said that Nigeria would continue to lose billions of naira to medical tourism due to her weak health system.
He called on the Federal Government to strengthen the nation’s health system and to build the capacity of the medical laboratories, stressing that they were not well equipped to support medical services.
Raheem who was represented by the association’s Assistant Secretary, Olusoji Billyrose at the celebration of the 2016 World Bio-medical Laboratory Science Day on Friday in Abuja, urged the FG to invest in key areas of the health sector.
He said, “Nigeria is losing billions of Naira annually to medical tourism and this would not stop until the government invests in our health sector; we need well equipped medical laboratories for right diagnosis.
“Presently, the medical laboratories cannot support the health system because they are not well equipped and the capacity of the health personnel also need to be increased and strengthened.”
The FCT Chairman, AMSCN, Ndubuisi Ebitea, expressed the commitment of the Medical Laboratory Scientists in the Federal Capital Territory to enhance the implementation of quality management systems and to provide top quality services for residents.
He deplored the engagement of non-professional laboratory scientists by private hospitals, noting that this is contributing to the problem of quackery in the health sector.
Ebitea said, “We call on government to pay more attention to improving medical laboratory practice in the FCT and indeed in Nigeria. This, government can do by enhancing medical laboratory infrastructure, improving the welfare of medical laboratory professionals by providing them with insurance cover and enhancing their hazard allowance.”
Source : http://www.punchng.com/weak-health-sector-encourages-medical-tourism-says-medical-association/
