By Doris Obinna

The Federal Ministry of Health, in collaboration with Linkgate Corporate Resources, recently held a three-day hospital exhibition and fair in Lagos with theme, “Using Vibrant Health Communication,” to promote available Medical Treatments in Nigeria and discourage medical tourism.”

Speaking at the event, Health Minister, Prof. Isaac Adewole, in a statement, said the exhibition was borne out of the ministry’s determination to create confidence in the Nigerian health sector and reverse the trend of medical tourism in Nigeria.

The exhibition showcased all categories of healthcare providers in the public and private hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, herbal/traditional medicine practitioners, and health maintenance organisations (HMOs).

“There is need to have a database of all available medical treatments, viz-a-viz medical equipment in hospitals within the country, in order to make sustainable plans to meet up with identified inadequacies,” he said.

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Also, numerous medical services obtainable in Nigeria, underscored the need to patronise made-in-Nigeria products.

Adewole noted, however, that there was need to engage and involve both the public and private health sectors, while adding that it had the potential also, to restore confidence in the Nigeria’s healthcare system.

He said: “However, government efforts towards public private partnerships and private sector engagement are seen as a key strategy for improving access to quality services and counterpart in the delivery of health services.

“Currently, government policy places emphasis on the private sector driving developments within the health sector. This so far has created a favourable environment for public private partnerships and investment in health.”

The exhibition, according to the minister, affords the health sector to showcase its potentials for private investment, while government, through this, is hoping to establish private sector-driven world class hospitals and diagnostic centres, which will reverse the direction of medical tourism to Nigeria.