Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, says Federal Government will soon announce special intervention for tertiary health institutions to check medical tourism in the country.
Adewole said this in an interview with newsmen when he visited the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Umuahia on Wednesday.
He was responding to the question that the facility was grossly under-funded, thus hampering efficient health care delivery.
He said, “We are planning a special intervention for our tertiary institutions and FMC. Umuahia will benefit from the intervention.
“There is also a backup in the 2017 budget. So, we are prepared for our institutions because we want to stop medical tourism.
“We want many of our people to receive medicare in Nigeria.”
He said the intervention would take off in the next couple of weeks.
On the request by the staffers that the facility be upgraded to a university teaching hospital, the minister said the request would be discussed at the top-management meeting of the ministry.
Adewole commended the Medical Director, Dr Abali Chuku’s leadership qualities and drive for excellence and transforming the centre.
He also commended the management and staff of the centre for the prevailing convivial atmosphere.
He applauded the centre for excelling in professional examinations, winning laurels and advised them not to rest on their oars.
The minister announced Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeonwumere, as the star surgeon of the hospital and appointed him as a part of the contingents for an international conference in the US coming up soon.
Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health, Mrs Binta Bello, charged the hospital to de-emphasise strikes and place greater premium on the lives of patients.
The Medical Director, Dr Chuku, said, the centre, established in 1991, had 500 staff members with 86 consultants.
He said they hoped to have a Magnetic Resonance Imaging and an Advanced Diagnostic Laboratory through collaboration with the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Account.
Chuku also said the hospital had made some successes in its residency training, adding that the centre had 138 residents, including 106 senior registrars.
Chairman of the Dental and Medical Consultants Association, Dr Harry Obiudu, called for its upgrade to a university.
Obiudu said the process started during the last administration, adding that the hospital was grossly under-funded (NAN)