Nigeria is recording a surge in reverse medical tourism, in a striking shift in global medical trends, as patients from the United States and other countries opting for affordable and high-quality kidney transplants within the country.
This claim was made by Vice President Kashim Shettima recently while receiving members of the Nigerian Association of Nephrology (NAN) at the Presidential Villa, ahead of the association’s 37th Scientific Conference.
According to the Vice President, the increasing preference for Nigeria’s medical services is due to expertise and cost-effectiveness of treatments available in the country.
He revealed further that Nigerian hospitals like Zenith Medical and Kidney Centre have become a sought-after destination for kidney transplants, attracting international patients who get the same level of expertise offered in the West at a fraction of the cost.
He said: “There is reverse medical tourism these days because of the level of care at some of our hospitals. Recently, thirteen patients from the United States came to Nigeria for kidney transplants at Zenith Medical and Kidney Centre because it is much cheaper here, and they receive the same level of expertise available anywhere in the world.”
The Vice President praised Dr. Olalekan Olatise, Chief Medical Director of the centre, for his contributions to nephrology and kidney care. He described him as “a very decent man who is highly altruistic in his efforts to assist humanity.”
He celebrated the success of kidney transplants in Nigeria and acknowledged the financial burden encountered by a lot of patients, who often sell their homes or depend on government aid for treatment.
