Nigeria’s $1.2 Billion Annual Medical Tourism Drain Exposes Fragile Health System – WHO Official

At the fourth Annual Public Health Grand Round held at the University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED) in Ondo State, WHO Coordinator Dr. Habibu Yahaya revealed a staggering financial hemorrhage in Nigeria’s healthcare sector.

“Health system fragility results in about $1.2 billion lost from the Nigerian economy to medical tourism yearly,” Yahaya stated during his keynote address at the Oladipo Akinkugbe Hall event.

The forum, themed ‘Health Systems Strengthening: Building Resilience for the Future’ and organized by UNIMED’s School of Public Health, spotlighted the systemic vulnerabilities driving Nigerians abroad for medical care.

Yahaya attributed this massive capital flight to acute shocks like epidemics and chronic stressors including chronic underfunding and recurrent industrial actions in the health sector.

A panel discussion moderated by Dr. Ibukun Adesiyan, Vice Dean of the School of Public Health, examined critical staffing shortages. Prof. Ezekiel Adebayo, Chairman of the Committee of Deans, emphasized UNIMED’s strategic role in addressing these gaps: “UNIMED was established with the vision of solving Nigeria’s human resource gaps in healthcare. We are the only university in West Africa training dental surgeons, technologists, and therapists at the degree level.”

Prof. Ofonime Johnson, Acting Dean of the School of Public Health, described the Grand Round as a vital platform for confronting emerging public health challenges. The event’s host, Acting Vice-Chancellor Prof. Adolphous Loto, underscored the urgent need for building resilient health systems capable of withstanding multiple stressors.

The revelations come as Nigeria continues grappling with both infrastructure deficits and human capital shortages in its healthcare sector, forcing citizens to seek treatment abroad despite the enormous financial burden on the national economy.

The $1.2 billion annual loss to medical tourism underscores the pressing need for comprehensive health system reforms to retain both patients and medical professionals within the country.