Nigerians spent approximately $2.38 million on foreign healthcare-related services in the first half of 2024, according to a report by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The report detailed monthly spending: $2.3 million in January, $0.00 million in February, $0.01 million in March, $0.00 million in April, $0.05 million in May, and $0.02 million in June.
Notably, this amount is significantly higher than the $0.69 million spent from July to December 2023, marking an increase of $1.69 million for the same period this year.
However, when compared to the first half of 2023, where spending reached $3.13 million, there was a decrease of $0.75 million.
In related developments, President Bola Tinubu recently inaugurated the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority's healthcare expansion program, which aims to retrain 120,000 frontline health workers to combat the trend of outbound medical tourism.
Public Health Professor Tanimola Akande from the University of Ilorin commented on the rising medical tourism costs, noting that it indicates a persistent reliance on foreign medical care among Nigerians.
He emphasized that such expenditures are often driven by elites and highlighted that recent investments in private healthcare facilities have yet to significantly curb this trend.
Akande stated, “The money spent on medical tourism, if channeled into improving local health facilities, would greatly reduce medical tourism in Nigeria.”
He urged the government to enhance investments in quality healthcare services and address challenges like brain drain to foster a more conducive environment for healthcare delivery within the country.
