By Sunday Aikulola and Silver Nwokoro
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, has said that Nigeria currently loses an estimated $2 billion yearly to medical tourism, which he described as staggering.
The minister stated this during the grand opening and commissioning of Avon Medical Centre, a 50-bed specialist hospital in Surulere, Lagos State. The newly inaugurated medical facility, a subsidiary of Heirs Holdings, featured a cutting-edge diagnostic centre with CT scan capabilities, a pediatric and intensive care unit, an accident and emergency wing, and a fully equipped operating theatre.
Pate, who was represented by the Chief Medical Director of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Wasiu Adeyemo, stated that this is a reflection of the gap in confidence, access, and quality within the local health system, noting that the grand opening of Avon medical centre demonstrates its possibility to reverse the trend.
He said: “This is not just about stopping medical tourism. It is about building health sovereignty, the ability of a country to care for its own people, develop its institutions, talent, and innovation.”
The minister reiterated the federal government’s commitment to revitalising the health sector through the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and the 2024-2027 Health Sector Strategic Blueprint.
The programmes, he said, aimed to reduce out-of-pocket expenses, improve access to essential health services, and integrate private sector efforts with public health delivery.
In his remarks, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, praised the Avon Medical Centre for its 16-year journey from a small clinic to a major player in the Nigerian health landscape.
“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,” he said. He, therefore, called for deeper collaboration between the public and private sectors, noting that government alone cannot solve healthcare challenges.
Sanwo-Olu stated that the state’s ongoing efforts to bolster healthcare infrastructure include the construction of one of sub-Saharan Africa’s largest pediatric hospitals—the new Massey Children’s Hospital—and the region’s most expansive mental health facility.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson of Avon Healthcare Limited, Awele Elumelu, offered a personal reflection on the company’s journey and mission, saying that in the opening of the centre, more women will receive the maternal care they need, and more children will get timely, life-saving treatment.
She said Avon’s achievement is not the end, but only a springboard. On his part, Chief Executive Officer of Avon Medical, Akinbiyi Oke, said: “The facility is committed to delivering affordable and world-class services.”
