The Federal Government To Ban Foreign Medical Trips by Public Officials

Prof C. O. Onyebuchi Chukwu, Minister of Health.

The Nigerian Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, has said that the federal government is to ban public officers from travelling abroad for medical treatment.

He said that the manner in which Nigerians travel abroad for treatment is not acceptable and that he is preparing a memo for the Federal Executive council (FEC), which will stop public officers from wasting public funds on foreign medical trips. If a public officer insists on travelling out of the country for medical assistance which is available in Nigeria, public funds will not be used and the person will have to fund it, as a private individual.

“I am presenting this memo to stop public officers from unnecessarily receiving foreign medical treatment. If a public officer says no, I don’t want treatment in Nigeria, I want to travel abroad for treatment, no problem, you are free, but you will not use public funds for that, so long as it can be done in Nigeria”.

He goes on to say “The other reason why people go abroad and what is most disturbing to me as the Minister of Health is that some unscrupulous doctors and other health practitioners because of money being made conspire with foreign practitioners”.

He insisted the the only exception, will be a situation where the capacity to handle such a medical problem does not exist in Nigeria.

Chukwu, also noted that many doctors, health professionals and patients themselves are ignorant of medical facilities and expertise available in the country and that some of the cases for which many people travel abroad can be effectively treated in Nigeria.