FG moves to ban overseas treatment for government officials

From JULIANA TAIWO-OBALONYE, Abuja
Monday, October 03, 2011

The Federal Government has said it has begun the process of laying out a plan to restrict government officials from travelling abroad for medical treatment.

The Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu, told newsmen that a policy is in the offing to compel every public official to get medical attention here in Nigeria if government was going to foot such bills. He, however, said only conditions that had been proven treatment could not be taken care of in Nigeria would such officials be allowed to travel abroad.

The issue of government officials seeking medical attention abroad has been a contentious one for a long time as Nigerians blame the incessant resort to overseas countries for medicare by government officials for government’s neglect of the nation’s health facilities.

To ensure the appropriateness of such policy, Chukwu disclosed that President Goodluck Jonathan has emphasised to him the need to upgrade Nigeria’s tertiary health institutions to world class standards.
Chukwu pointed out that respect for human rights would not let government ban anyone outright from seeking medical treatment abroad, especially when it was obvious that not all medical cases could be handled here in the country.

Besides, “your doctor, midwife or other healthcare practitioner could be based abroad and government will not stop you from going to consult him there,” he said. However, he stressed that “government is thinking of a situation in, which the health ministry or minister will be the one to approve any request for medical treatment of government officials using government funds.” “That means the minister can refuse the official from using public funds to treat a medical condition abroad when such could be handled here in the country.

“If the official insists on treating himself abroad, he could then use his personal funds.” Chukwu also disclosed that President Jonathan has directed him to adopt a reward system that would encourage hardworking health practitioners who are doing well here in Nigeria and then sanction those who are found wanting. This policy is yielding results as the minister announced that brain drain in the health sector is being reversed to brain gain.
Many Nigerians in the Diaspora who have even received better training are coming home to hold talks with the ministry on how they could partner towards setting up specialist health institutions and to provide much needed services.

Against this background, Chukwu assured that by the first quarter of next year, at least one Public-Private-Partnership agreement will be signed for setting up a tertiary health institution in the country.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/oct/03/national-03-10-2011-003.html

If you don't believe in the transformation agenda of GEJ, then, you must be a biased party.
This policy will have multiplier effect on the Nigerian health sector.

I am quite happy I campaigned for GEJ, so many good things have bobbed up, from the signing of the FOI bill to these new plans for medical treatment (just as Nigerians are beginning to see changes in power supply). Thats not to mention the myriad positive changes that have occurred in the petroleum sector.

We've got a thinking President.

beaf,so you still have d mouth to say dt you campaiged for GEJ? Another promise and you've started jumping like a monkey in a cage. Out of all his promises which one have he fulfilled and their promising again. We want action nt promises pls.Tell him dt.

Utter delusions, What have these clowns done to improve the health care system in Nigeria? Absolutely nothing,

What's there to believe? Some meaningless talk?


Yawns,

cjfavour:

beaf,so you still have d mouth to say dt you campaiged for GEJ? Another promise and you've started jumping like a monkey in a cage. Out of all his promises which one have he fulfilled and their promising again. We want action nt promises pls.Tell him dt.

Abeg, mind your side jare. I am very happy with my choice and so are millions of other Nigerians; there are some who nothing can make happy, even if GEJ was to turn stones into fish and feed whole cities free.

Besides, “your doctor, midwife or other healthcare practitioner could be based abroad and government will not stop you from going to consult him there,” he said. However, he stressed that “government is thinking of a situation in, which the health ministry or minister will be the one to approve any request for medical treatment of government officials using government funds.” “That means the minister can refuse the official from using public funds to treat a medical condition abroad when such could be handled here in the country.

This is the "how" of the program beginnings. They are not empty words because rarely do government officials tell us the "how".  Until we stop government officials going overseas for medical treatments for illnesses that Nigerian hospitals can take care of, our health sector can never witness a renaissance.

BTW I don't expect permanent anti-GEJ parties to agree. It seems some Nigerians don't want change under a GEJ presidency. Same folks are celebrating pittance policies in Lagos. I'm laughing.
Quite sad indeed.

Anoda idiotic,UTOPIC, policy IDEA from a bunch of clowns

GEJ is a m0ron. Seriously.

Fix the healthcare system first, THEN mandate that public officials should use it.

Cart before the horse, @ssbackwards policy.

With that said, for any treatments which Nigerian hospitals can already handle well, by all means require it to be done locally.

If a dude has a cold, high blood pressure, or needs an eye exam, presumably that can be handled within the country.

Government to do this, government to do that.  Toto government!  Let's see them complete and commission something for once.

Posted by: ekt_bear

GEJ is a m0ron. [/b]Seriously.

[b]Fix the healthcare system first, THEN mandate that public officials should use it.

Cart before the horse, @ssbackwards policy.

With that said, for any treatments which Nigerian hospitals can already handle well, by all means require it to be done locally.

If a dude has a cold, high blood pressure, or needs an eye exam, presumably that can be handled within the country.

Let me start by saying that it is quite rude and immature to call your president a mor0n simply because you don't agree with his policies. I may excuse thugs and semi-literate never do wells like Eko-Ile to use those words; not you.
Quit trying to belong to a lynch mob that makes no damn sense.

BTW who told you that there are NO hospitals in Nigeria that can treat the type of illnesses that the minister want to ban for oversea treatment? You need to know Nigeria well my friend. Folks will hop on a flight just because the government will pick up the tab. Only those feeding fat on the system would be worried about this policy.

Talks, talks, talks. This country reminds me of the novel 'Holding talks' by Ola Rotimi, all talks and no action. That minister is just seeking press attention, so we dont get to classify him as passive minister. Get the hospitals working first! No wonder they said common sence is not common! sence is not common!

Onlytruth:

Posted by: ekt_bear
Let me start by saying that it is quite rude and immature to call your president a mor0n simply because you don't agree with his policies. I may excuse thugs and semi-literate never do wells like Eko-Ile to use those words; not you.
Quit trying to belong to a lynch mob that makes no damn sense.  

BTW who told you that there are NO hospitals in Nigeria that can treat the type of illnesses that the minister want to ban for oversea treatment? You need to know Nigeria well my friend. Folks will hop on a flight just because the government will pick up the tab. Only those feeding fat on the system would be worried about this policy.

And who told you what they go abroad for can be treated in Nigeria? Are you their doctor? Are you in possession of their medical records. What an i.diot .

I do believe you looked in the mirror before uttering the illiterate talk because you are even worse than one.


Your president is a mo,ron and a freeking loser and obviously you too,

^ Lol!
Eko to[b]ILE[/b]t. A to ile!

ujchief:

Talks, talks, talks. This country reminds me of the novel 'Holding talks' by Ola Rotimi, all talks and no action. That minister is just seeking press attention, so we dont get to classify him as passive minister. Get the hospitals working first! No wonder they said common sence is not common! sence is not common!

And who exactly will get the hospitals working? Those flying abroad to treat headaches or get bruises plastered? You will be in for a very long wait indeed, you clearly don't grasp the distance between the average politician and the average Nigeria.

the only people who would cough at this development are politicians and their families, people who have grown used to such "perks" at the expense of the suffering citizen grinding out a living, belly rumbling and always at most, an inch from death.

@Onlytruth: Actually, upon rereading the article it looks like I overreacted. They'll only ban whatever they think is treatable locally. Which is a reasonable policy, assuming they don't claim more capability than they actually have.

You are right, when things are given out "for free" there is a tendency/temptation to abuse. But things like healthcare I take pretty seriously. Better imo to err on the side of safety. You don't want your cancer to be misdiagnosed in Nigeria, for example 

My old man is healthy as a horse, but if he ever falls seriously ill I will fly him out of Nigeria here. I don't want anyone I care about dying like a chicken due to some sort of strange misplaced patriotism (or cheapness.)

Onlytruth:

Posted by: ekt_bear
Let me start by saying that it is quite rude and immature to call your president a mor0n simply because you don't agree with his policies. I may excuse thugs and semi-literate never do wells like Eko-Ile to use those words; not you.
Quit trying to belong to a lynch mob that makes no damn sense.

When you grow up and start paying taxes instead of collecting pocket money from mummy and daddy, you will become more critical of failure and more intolerant of empty promises.

Beaf:

I am quite happy I campaigned for GEJ, so many good things have bobbed up, from the signing of the FOI bill to these new plans for medical treatment (just as Nigerians are beginning to see changes in power supply). Thats not to mention the myriad positive changes that have occurred in the petroleum sector.

We've got a thinking President.

Meanwhile infant and maternal mortality is as high as ever, life expectancy in Nigeria still remains mid-forties for men. Yet we're supposed to jubilate because of some 'plans'.

Abeg we need to see actual results on ground. We want to hear more of 'we have' than 'we will'

The only reason they run abroad for "medical treatment" is to load their

foreign accounts and when they feigning sickness in order to stay away from the law(Political Warfare).

Besides they actually don't need Government money to do that, they just

take advantage of the loopholes and corruption.

The law won't change anything.

Why are we going around this again, in less than a year or more? I remember reading somewhere that the same Fg moved to ban the very same, sometime last year. Why are we doing this again? The first ban no take??

Transparency can only be achieved in an environment where it is tolerated.is the minister willing to subject himself&his bosses to this policy?a scenario where the V.P of a nation travelled out for a sprained ankle or was it torn knee ligament is highly embarassing&shows the level of decadence in d sector

Who kno weda dey genuinely went abroad for medical checkup/treatment or not.D piont is dat some of dem went abroad for various purpose &not jst for treatment.

Its just a ban on government officials using public funds for overseas treatment.
It is only when the ban is on overseas treatment with either public or private funds that Nigeria's health sector will get the desired focus.
Truth is - They already loot enough to afford these treatments

Good move

hehehehe. Gullible Nigerians.

Tell me how this would affect a governor/minister/senator that steals millions yearly? They would always claim its life threatening anyways.

Posted by: ndu_chucks

hehehehe. Gullible Nigerians.

The truth is that no matter how well intentioned this policy is, hardened thieves, criminals and worms of the Nigerian system such as your brothers would always find a way to subvert it.
That is why it is pertinent to have a SNC where we can decide how to restructure or disintegrate Nigeria.
Let's face it, this can't work under the current system.
Optimism never killed anyone though.
Great job GEJ.
And you will get that second term in 2015, after which you pass it to us in SE. 

ekt_bear:

@Onlytruth: Actually, upon rereading the article it looks like I overreacted.

@ ekt_bear,  thanks 4 accepting ur rush judgment and humbly replying so.  Me, You and right-thinking fellows dont have to conform to those who uses abusive languages to dis-agree on every policies and speaches of our political leaders. It only shows how intolerable we are in the society.   Until we begin to behave in a more civilised forum, I see no hope for us all.  I still believed and hope so that things are getting better, just by thinking it and formulating the policies alone is better than previous govts. 

Yes, we could be better than this, but we are not worse than previous govt.

Onlytruth:

Posted by: ndu_chucks
The truth is that no matter how well intentioned this policy is, hardened thieves, criminals and worms of the Nigerian system would always find a way to subvert it.
That is why it is pertinent to have a SNC where we can decide how to restructure or disintegrate Nigeria.
Let's face it, this can't work under the current system.
Optimism never killed anyone though.
Great job GEJ.
And you will get that second term in 2015, after which you pass it to us in SE.

olodo, you spoilt your post by writing 'Great job GEJ'. If anyone believes that a government official who is eligible for free health care by the government will not find the funds to fly himself/herself to India, Saudi Arabia, UK, or anywhere else, is delusional. The ban is actually a joke. Anyone who buys the lies must be an eediot. Onlytruth, does the shoe fit?

Beaf:

I am quite happy I campaigned for GEJ, so many good things have bobbed up, from the signing of the FOI bill to these new plans for medical treatment (just as Nigerians are beginning to see changes in power supply). Thats not to mention the myriad positive changes that have occurred in the petroleum sector.

We've got a thinking President.

absolutely apalling.