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Duchess Royal Medical Check-up Kicks-Off In Lagos To Reverse Medical Tourism By Nigerians

Lagos State Government has emphasised the need for closer and more strategic collaborations between private and public stakeholders in the health sector, towards improved medical services to Nigerians.

The State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, stressed the point at the flag off of a three days medical checkup by the Duchess International Hospital in Ikeja Lagos.

Dr. Hamzat also called for increased funding of the health sector as well as the expansion of specialised medical care for Nigerians to cover common health conditions including cardiovascular diseases, stroke and cancer.

Dr. Hamzat said with terminal diseases becoming the order of the day, the collaboration between private and public stakeholders in the sector, plus injection of more resources in health to upgrade facilities, was necessary to deliver qualitative healthcare to Nigerians and prevent avoidable deaths.

He said the nation’s health sector had over time struggled to deliver because of brian drain caused mostly by the mass relocation abroad of experienced medical professionals.

In view of that, Dr. Hamzat urged top Nigerian medical professionals practising abroad to emulate their counterparts at Duchess International Hospital, Ikeja Lagos and invest at home.

The deputy Governor who specifically commended the hospital for organising the 3 days medical checkup for all kinds of ailments, urged them to always ensure that affordable services are provided to the people and that finance should not be the basis for denying anyone care to save his or her life.

In a keynote address, a consultant Interventional cardiologist, Prof. Kamal Adeleke expressed dismay that cardiovascular cases, stroke and cancer have become the leading causes of deaths of Nigerians, but advised that the terminal diseases could be prevented by adopting healthy lifestyles, going for routine health screening and timely treatment.

Prof. Adeleke said the heath facility offers world-class services, stressing that it’s personnel comprises some of Nigeria’s best doctors abroad who decided to return home to make a difference in their country.

On his part, the chairman of the hospital, Dr. Yemi Onobowale explained that the facility combines medical excellence and top notch hospitality, adding that the grand plan was to revise medical tourism, save foreign exchange and provide best form of medicine care to Nigerians, especially the busy executives.

The event which paraded dignitaries in and outside the country had the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed represented.

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