…as state gov’t woos diaspora health professionals

Enugu State governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, has pledged to make the state the hub of medical tourism and put an end to the exodus of people moving overseas for health services by expediting the completion of the ongoing construction of the 300-bed Enugu International Hospital.

The governor, who made this commitment on Monday in Enugu during the flag off of the state-of-the-art multi-specialty hospital project, stressed that the state was targeting a substantial share of the overseas medical tourism market which is above $1 billion annually.

He disclosed that top-notch health professionals living in diaspora were already engaging the state government on areas of collaboration in the health sector, saying the state is open for investment, business and partnership.

Mbah, who also called on more health professionals and other investors to see Enugu as a fertile market for business, and assured of returns-on-investment, said the government had already derisked investment flow and would continue to make the state eco-business friendly with the right incentives. 

“The Enugu International Hospital is going to be equipped with the state-of-the art facilities and we intend to attract top-notch professionals. We intend to work with our sons and daughters overseas who are interested in coming to express their professionalism on our soil. So, we’ll be taking this opportunity to remind them to come back and know that this place is open for them with the best state-of-the-art facilities they can get anywhere in the world,” he stated. 

While expressing delight that the project was a reaffirmation of his administration commitment to reverse medical tourism overseas, Governor Mbah said the hospital would offer advanced and specialized services, research and training.

He said the construction of the international hospital, which had already commenced, would meet the needs of those travelling abroad for healthcare, noting that the administration had committed huge investment in the primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare services. 

“We already know the interventions we made in the primary health sector with the construction of 260-type 2 primary healthcare centres and attending to 22 cottage and general hospitals across the state,” he said.

Governor Mbah further stated that the international hospital will also serve as both training and research centre for medical students from the major tertiary institutions in the state as well as ensuring that patients have access to the best healthcare delivery available anywhere in the world. 

Speaking earlier, the Commissioner for Health, Prof Ikechukwu Obi, extolled the governor over the ongoing revolution in the healthcare sector, saying 260 type-2 and 9 type-3 primary healthcare hospitals undergoing intervention at the primary health level, 22 secondary healthcare facilities receiving cutting-edge attention, with Enugu State University of Science and Technology Teaching Hospital (ESUTH) and the University of Medical and Applied Sciences Teaching Hospital (SUMASTH) as tertiary hospitals, in addition to the international hospital in the state.

According to him, the international hospital will offer different medical services as soon as it becomes operational which include, general medicine, emergency department, surgical services, obstetrics and gynaecology, intensive care unit, cardiology, oncology, neurology, radiology and imaging, laboratory services, pharmacy, nutritional services, physical therapy and rehabilitation, biomedical engineering and medical gas production, health information services, among other medical services. 

Describing the project as one of the landmark initiatives of the Mbah administration, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Gerald Otiji, as well as the Special Adviser on Project Development and Implementation, Arc..Uche Nwatu, expressed optimism that the world-class hospital will put the state on the regional and global healthcare map with the capacity to set new benchmarks in medical services, education and research. 

On the part of the contractor, the chief executive officer of Tanit Medical Engineering, Anthony Nader, promised that the company would deliver the project in record time. 

“What makes the hospital different from others is the quality and the uniqueness of the equipment. We’re going to have many equipment that have never been seen in any of the hospitals around. The services that will be offered will be very unique to the extent that none of the hospitals in West Africa has it,” he stressed.

Commending Governor Mbah for the laudable project, the Executive Chairman, Enugu North LGA, Dr. Ibenaku Onoh, Chairman, Nigerian Medical Association, Enugu State chapter, Dr. Sunday Okafor, representative of the Ogui Nike community, Hon Emeka Nnamani, former deputy governor of the state, Chief Okechukwu Itanyi, and the State PDP Woman Leader, Mrs. Peace Patrick, said the hospital would meet the healthcare needs of the country.