Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa has noted that with the way professionals in the healthcare industry were beginning to invest in the sector will help to reduce brain drain of medical professionals and makes Nigeria to become game changer in medical tourism.
Dabiri-Erewa stated this while receiving the CEO of Africa Medical Centre for Excellence (AMCE) and his team who paid her a courtesy call on Wednesday in her office to seek partnership in establishment of world-class medical service hub in Nigeria.
NIDCOM boss said further that with the volume of medical facilities planned for the centre, it will make Nigeria healthcare system ultimately become a centre of destination for medical hub with a major investment deal coming to the country.
She added that having the Commission on board as a partner, will help attract Nigerian medical personnel working in the Diaspora to tap into their expertise and capacity building
According to her, “With the assemblage of this wonderful team, I am optimistic that the project is already a huge success. I therefore assure you of our support and partnership in this regard”, she said.
Dabiri-Erewa stated further that if the vision and mission of the project is fully implemented as conceived, it will not only revamp the current situation of Nigeria’s health sector but will change Nigeria to a centre of destination for medical tourism.
NIDCOM Boss, however, advised that there should be provision for the treatment of the less privileged in the society, so that the facilities will be for all categories of humanity.
She seized the opportunity to congratulate AMCE Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Aisha Umar on her latest appointment, describing her as one of the best in the health sector.
Dabiri-Erewa gave the assurance of the Commission’s readiness to work with AMCE group, as a Technical Committee will be created to that effect.
Speaking earlier, AMCE Chief said that the project is a world-class medical service hub aimed at providing efficient health care delivery in Nigeria, especially in Cancer and Cardiovascular related treatments.
“The establishment of the Centre in Nigeria will reverse the flow of external medical tourism, estimated at six billion dollars annually.
With the on-going project in Nigeria, Deaver said that over 1000 Nigerian medical and non-medical staff will be recruited and the centre will be one of the many world class cancer treatment and diagnosis centres to be built in Nigeria with over $700 million funding support from an Afrexim bank.
In the same vein, the Chief Medical Officer of AMCE, Dr. Umar, said that the group has been enthusiastic in partnering with Africa in Healthcare delivery with the pilot business in Abuja, Nigeria in the next two years as well as providing excellent training for medical personnel.