By Ogu Bundu Nwadike
One of the known siphon hoses of public money in Nigeria at all times since time immemorial has been speedy trips overseas for medical attention and treatment even for common cough, cold and catarrh. It always goes with large sums of money as estacodes!
Over time, the practice by Nigerians, particularly those in top offices and positions in government at all levels, became known as “medical tourism”!
Top leaders of Nigeria, including those still in the civil service from Grade Level 15 and above at the simplest reasons fly abroad for medical attention and treatment for the slightest health challenges that a good chemist around could mix some drugs and take care of.
As I stated earlier, for everyday common cough, cold and catarrh, normal ear, nose, and throat momentary malfunction, migraine, ulcer, gastrointestinal disorder, ankle and wrist sprains etcetera, Nigerian leaders board the next available flight and rush to London, Germany, America and other countries organized by their fellow human beings!
It’s so appalling that medical tourism still thrives in Nigeria after 106 years of the amalgamation, and creation of Nigeria, 60 years of Independence. Why there’s no world class health facility in the entire country is still a cause for crying tears. Cry beloved country!
For the now proven insincere notion that there are no good hospitals and medical practitioners in Nigeria, the rich and wealthy private citizens, together with top officials of government, since the outbreak of Coronavirus, either have been healed of all their diseases, or they had all the while being using the excuse of ill-health and medical tourism to steal public money in billions and trillions.
It’s, therefore, not out of place to give much thanks kudos and bravo to the Coronavirus pandemic, which has seen to the quarantining of entire major countries of the world, with air, land and sea borders closed until further notice, and thereby successfully keeping Nigerians away from medical tourism.
For me, it’s an ample opportunity for Nigerian authorities to make a big capital out of the Coronavirus pandemic situation and consider transforming the healthcare system in Nigeria.
Am adequately persuaded that whatever that has the capacity of deterring Nigerians from patronizing medical tourism to the first world might be God’s message for Nigerian leaders to genuinely establish healthcare facilities at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels to be ever ready to respond to any health challenges at any point in time.
It’ll be most unfortunate if most Nigerians could survive all these days, weeks and months of global lockdown without going anywhere else than Nigeria for medicare, only to turn to be counted among top medical tourists in the world after the Coronavirus pandemic.
The question will then be: “All through the period of the Coronavirus scourge, how were Nigerians able to survive their supposed health challenges that hitherto always took them abroad for medical attention and treatment?” God knows who can answer that question and how he or she will convincingly answer it!
Truth shall set Nigeria and Nigerians free. Anybody with ailments, even supposedly terminal ailments, that survived in Nigeria all through the period of the Coronavirus pandemic should be able to survive in Nigeria after the expected cure to the scourge.
It’s time for Nigerians to tell themselves the truth and look inwards for genuine solutions to the challenges of the country; not only in the healthcare sector but also in virtually all sectors that Nigerian leaders had always believed in the need to look up to Europe, America and Asia for solutions!
As a point of conclusion, I want to thank God Almighty who allowed the Coronavirus pandemic, who in his infinite wisdom, which to common mortals is foolishness. I want to also thank Coronavirus, whatever it is, for helping Nigerians to see that without medical tourism, people can still face the tomorrow of everyday life.
It’s now left for Nigerians to make the best of the situation by working out the salvation of medicine and healthcare in Nigeria with boldness and courage. It’s time for Nigerian medical scientists to show their mettle and the stuff they’re made of.
It was quite heartening that at a point since the Coronavirus pandemic reached Nigeria, some Nigerian scientists have reported that they have discovered cure for Coronavirus.
Sincerely, it’ll be most unfortunate and insincere to see Nigerians trooping out again to Europe, America and Asia for cure and healing to their physical sicknesses, after surviving in Nigeria all through the period of the Coronavirus global scourge.
Nwadike is a journalist and author of the book Nigeria: Worth Dying for?