Federal government has said that its plan to stop medical tourism will start with the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) and seven other teaching hospitals in the country.
Chairman of UITH board of management, Olorogun O. Emerhor told reporters in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital after the inaugural board meeting of the board.
Mr. Emehor said the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari was determined to end the practice of jettisoning medical facilities in the country for treatment abroad, as being witnessed among influential Nigerians,
He said that parts of efforts being made by the government to achieve this was to significantly fund the nation’s medical facilities and build capacities of the medical personnel.
Emerhor who said that the arrangement had been captured in this year budget with plan to also be included in the next budget disclosed that the government had selected eight hospitals including UITH as beneficiaries.
He disclosed that when his board was inaugurated by the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, the minister instructed the board of the vision of the president about making the UITH a part of hospitals with which to achieve the objective of ending medical tourism abroad.