TO stem the tide of increasing number of Nigerian seeking medical treatment abroad and capital flight, the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) is to enter into partnership with the Medical Tourism Association (MTA),
The MTA, an American-based non-profit organisation, has expressed strong interest in helping to brand Nigeria as a viable destination for medical tourism and check the influx of Nigerians of all ages and status from seeking medical care abroad.
This formed the crux of agreement reached by the association and NTDC when the representatives visited the Nigeria stand at the unfolding international travel and tourism trade exhibition – ITB, in Berlin, Germany. The association, which was led by its Executive Officer, Jonathan Edelheit and Global Congress Manager, Cristina Cardona, revealed that the body, which has membership in over 100 countries across the world, is dedicated to promoting medical education and enlightenment through workshops, seminars and training sessions among others.
They added that they work through hospitals, medical personnel, health service providers, governments and tourism bodies in the realisation of their aims.
“Our organisation works with governments and hospitals in over a hundred different countries and we would like to help brand Nigeria and train personnel with a view to help bring in medical tourists to Nigeria,” said Edelheit.
The said body is through NTDC seeking to come into the Nigerian market to create awareness of its services and help to midwife the Nigeria branch of MTA, which will be saddled with the responsibility of helping various medical service providers and the government in creating and promoting a healthy and conducive environment for medical tourism to thrive in the country.
“Medical tourism is a huge part of the tourism industry in Kenya and South Africa and we would like to help Nigeria grow this sector and take advantage of the huge opportunities,” he said. “One of the benefits is that it also helps the local population as there will be increased investment in quality, expansion and infrastructure.”
He explained that Nigerian hospitals would benefit from specialising in medical procedures that take advantage of the products and services that the country has to offer while also analysing kind of the patients from which specific markets to target.
“At present, patients travel round the world looking for value, quality and affordability. What the MTA is offering is to come to Nigeria to provide education on where the country’s competitive advantage lies and help develop it,” Edelheit continued.
Responding, Runsewe revealed that the tourism body is happy about this development and share the enthusiasm of MTA even as he pledged the commitment of NTDC in helping to introduce this initiative to Nigeria and help bring all the stakeholders together.
According to him, Nigeria is in dire need of such body to help check the growing number of Nigerians going abroad for medical treatment under the slightest appearance of any life threatening disease.
He said that this practice was not good for the economy of the country and that it is hunting the tourism as well, stressing that Nigeria has some of the best qualified medical personnel and health care service providers, but lacked equipment.
With MTA coming into the market, he said that it may just hasten the development of more infrastructure and investment in the sector as both the public and private sectors would be forced to do the right thing in order to save the country’s economy.
”We have some massive hospitals in Abuja and other parts of the country for example, but what they do is strictly medical. However, with this new initiative, tourism would be added to it and that would make people stay longer in hospitals for bed rest, which would obviously have a positive effect on the economy.”
Corroborating this view the MTA CEO revealed, “Medical tourists spend about five times the amount than a regular tourist and they usually come with a companion so that is a huge opportunity for economic development.”
Runsewe also stated that the climate in Nigeria to a large degree aids recuperation and relaxation. “This is one aspect that needs to be highlighted,” Cardona said.
source: http://www.tribune.com.ng / Nigerian Tribune / Home> Tourism / Wednesday, March 13th, 2013
