Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, has said Nigeria loses about $2 billion yearly to medical tourism, saying the country must build health sovereignty and not rely on foreign care.
Pate said the lack of confidence in local healthcare and the citizenry’s inability to access quality health partly contributed to the figure.
Pate, represented by the Chief Medical Director of Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Wasiu Adeyemo, stated this during the commissioning of Avon Medical Centre, a 50-bed speciality hospital in Surulere, Lagos.
However, he expressed optimism that Avon Medical Centre, among others, would reverse the trend, saying the government was also committed to revitalising the health sector through the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and the 2024-2027 Health Sector Strategic Blueprint.
His words: “This is not just about stopping medical tourism. It is about building health sovereignty, the ability of a country to care for its people, and develop its institutions, talent, and innovation.
“The government stands ready to co-create pathways for private-sector engagement, be it through health insurance expansion, regulatory reform, or partnerships with national health programmes. We welcome Avon Medical and all new private providers to come alongside us as partners in building a healthier, safer, and more equitable Nigeria.”
Also speaking at the event, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State called for collaboration between the public and private sectors, saying the government could not solve healthcare challenges alone.
He said: “But we must create the enabling environment for private equity and investment to thrive. That said, Avon Medical, I dare say, has etched its name in the sands of time in this industry—not only in Lagos but in Nigeria as a whole.”
Earlier in her remarks, the Chairperson of Avon Healthcare Limited, Awele Elumelu, lamented that the lack of doctors, beds and equipment puts Nigeria’s healthcare system under pressure.
Elumelu said: “In 2009, we took the bold step to make world-class healthcare accessible and affordable to all, not just the privileged few. That decision birthed Avon Medical and Avon HMO. Africa carries over 20 per cent of the global disease burden, yet has only one per cent of healthcare resources.
“In Nigeria, the lack of doctors, beds, and equipment puts our system under pressure. What we are building is a healthcare system that leaves no one behind. We believe in Afri-capitalism—that the private sector has a responsibility not just to generate profit but to create lasting impact.”
