Nigeria spends over N80 billion on trips abroad, by her citizens, for medical treatment, the Senate Committee on Health has said.

The leader of the committee, Ifeanyi Okowa, said this as he exchanged views with the Minister of State for Health, Mohammed Pate, and stakeholders in the sector at the budget defense session.

Mr. Okowa said close to N80 billion is spent yearly on medical tourism in the country.

“We know that several Nigerians travel outside the shores of this country to the United Kingdom and India for medical treatment.

“You and I will agree that this is not the direction we need to go,” he said.

Senior government officials, and their families, in Nigeria often travel for medical trips abroad. Some of the recent travellers include the Senate President, David Mark, and the first lady, Patience Jonathan.

The committee chairman said that with 2013 budget estimate of about N297 billion, only 20 per cent was earmarked for capital development.

The committee also expressed worry over the data collection technique of the ministry and its authenticity as well as the low level generation capacity of the ministry.

In his presentation, Mr. Pate told the committee that the ministry is facing several challenges but gave the assurance that all hands were on deck to surmount these challenges.

Mr. Pate said N480 million of the 2012 budget estimate had been allocated for preparedness and response to epidemic outbreak such as Cholera, Meningitis and Lassa fever.

He added that N2.2 billion had been proposed for procurement of HIV kits and drugs just as N261 million had been appropriated for cancer control.

The budget defence session would continue on Wednesday.

http://premiumtimesng.com/news/106125-nigeria-loses-n80-billion-annually-on-medical-tourism-senator.html

kachinggggg

when will you people ever STOP complaining,analysis,crying,etc ...if it pains you people,you know what to do,engage them violently,squarely,iron for iron,sword for sword,fire for fire,blood for blood..thats the only way you will get a solution.before you attain a breakthrough,something have to be BROKEN!!!..your destiny is in your hands.if you guys are aggrieved,ACT!! and STOP!! complaining .

Minion: Ur Sickness! This country, Nigeria, is a waste. Why not bring it down here, to the underworld?
Hades: Shuttup! You foolish one. Do you not know that the only person to escape my clutch of death is a Nigerian?
Minion: HUH! Who is that? Your Highness!
Hades: Ojukwu, of course!
Minion: But Your Evilness!, Ojukwu is dead, He is here in the underworld
Hades: Look more closely, you fool
Minion: Ooh My god! His manhood lives on

y2kaustin: when will you people ever STOP complaining,analysis,crying,etc ...if it pains you people,you know what to do,engage them violently,squarely,iron for iron,sword for sword,fire for fire,blood for blood..thats the only way you will get a solution.before you attain a breakthrough,something have to be BROKEN!!!..your destiny is in your hands.if you guys are aggrieved,ACT!! and STOP!! complaining .

****tomakint sobs****** oh yeah we are ready to FIGHT but we need a JOSHUA to lead us and I am nominating you as the new JOSHUA of this supposed REVOLUTION!!! No fall my hand oooo!

What a waste of money

y2kaustin: when will you people ever STOP complaining,analysis,crying,etc ...if it pains you people,you know what to do,engage them violently,squarely,iron for iron,sword for sword,fire for fire,blood for blood..thats the only way you will get a solution.before you attain a breakthrough,something have to be BROKEN!!!..your destiny is in your hands.if you guys are aggrieved,ACT!! and STOP!! complaining .

Thats the Marxian spirit but in reality especially in Naija,thats not going to happen,not now.....

reeeT: Thats the Marxian spirit but in reality especially in Naija,thats not going to happen,not now.....

...thank you my sister,we spend too much energy and bandwidth complaining,rather than channel those,to ACTING...we engage in cyber war and talk,talk talk....complaining and grow old..

ngmart: What a waste of money

Yeah...our 37th state, Germany don finish our money.......God help us....remove sickness from naija

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bank2k4real:

Yeah...our 37th state, Germany don finish our money.......God help us....remove sickness from naija

stop talking nonsense and shut up how would you remove sickness from a country you dumb f u c k

Godogwu:
stop talking nonsense and shut up how would you remove sickness from a country you dumb f u c k

Wat is nonsense there, praying for no sickness that our dear country can't cure...so that our money will be intact.........think.....

Na today?

Who actually cares.

blink182: Who actually cares.

Its tax payers money so you should care. Its annoying I tell you. I hate complaining, I ll just keep quiet till I have the resource to do something about the situation.

What a disgrace!
No shame telling the world too!
USSSSSELESS CU-NT!

One day, the revolution will start. They should go and read history. It usually comes as a shock, and no one knows what the trigger will be.

What I know for certain is that the present system is not sustainable and will implode sooner than later. Cost of living is going up, incomes are not increasing, and an army of educated (or half educated, which is even worse) youth is being added into the unemployment market every quarter.

Wise people will know for certain that despite the factors that make it hard for Nigerians to unite and fight (e.g. Tribalism), the reality of our predicament will soon implode this system.

What is the solution? To remove these bloodsucking PDP government in the next election. The opposition parties are made up of crooks too, but a semblance of change may pacify and energize government and the people. If we do not do this, one day the revolution will start, and then the military will march in to 'restore order' and then it will be de ja vu, all over again. The same cycle that leads to nowhere.

This is one neglected non oil source of revenue for Nigeria which our lazy leaders refused to see cause we hav oil.

I pray the committee members and minister are intelligent. It's cheaper to invest in preventative medicine rather than mimic a western model like that of the US, which is oriented around fixing what's already wrong and taking medications for everything.

The cases of chronic illnesses are rising in Africa as a whole. Most Nigerians have risk factors for the deadliest diseases: high blood pressure, high stress, poor diet, obesity, and lack of exercise. Most, if not all, Nigerians who travel abroad for treatment are already sick. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that investing in public health and preventative measures is cheaper than treatment, talkless of flying abroad for foreign treatment. This is something the US healthcare system lacks. As result, it's citizens pay through their noses for treatments and medications.

Along with investing in cholera, meningitis, and other preparedness, they should look into public health and health education. Information and giving out condoms are cheaper than HIV drugs. Exercise and eating well are cheaper than a hospital stay for cardiac arrest.

y2kaustin: when will you people ever STOP complaining,analysis,crying,etc ...if it pains you people,you know what to do,engage them violently,squarely,iron for iron,sword for sword,fire for fire,blood for blood..thats the only way you will get a solution.before you attain a breakthrough,something have to be BROKEN!!!..your destiny is in your hands.if you guys are aggrieved,ACT!! and STOP!! complaining .

ypzilanti: One day, the revolution will start. They should go and read history. It usually comes as a shock, and no one knows what the trigger will be.

What I know for certain is that the present system is not sustainable and will implode sooner than later. Cost of living is going up, incomes are not increasing, and an army of educated (or half educated, which is even worse) youth is being added into the unemployment market every quarter.

Wise people will know for certain that despite the factors that make it hard for Nigerians to unite and fight (e.g. Tribalism), the reality of our predicament will soon implode this system.

What is the solution? To remove these bloodsucking PDP government in the next election. The opposition parties are made up of crooks too, but a semblance of change may pacify and energize government and the people. If we do not do this, one day the revolution will start, and then the military will march in to 'restore order' and then it will be de ja vu, all over again. The same cycle that leads to nowhere.

You guys are up to something, in fact something good. This "revolution" is long over due, but guess what...

"My Pastor", Owambe, Trad Marriage with Aseobi, importing from America, tying bedsheet and calling yourself Alhaji, Aristo babes, Arsenal and Man U, going to Germany for med checkup, posting pictures of yourself on Facebook after you "on the gen",

these all seem more appealing to the rather NIGG.A. like country that continues to bear a NIGG.A name given by one Oyibo Lepa that checked out a century ago.

Another quarter of the year roles by and it is time to recycle old news and get Nigerians all riled up about what has become the NORM for the nation, so they(the Nigerian people) can pretend to care again, yet do nothing about the situation in the end.