FG moves to ban overseas treatment for government officials. Posted by News Updates on October 3, 2011.
From JULIANA TAIWO-OBALONYE, Abuja Monday, October 03, 2011
The Federal Government has said it has begun the process of laying out a plan to restrict government officials from travelling abroad for medical treatment.
The Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu, told newsmen that a policy is in the offing to compel every public official to get medical attention here in Nigeria if government was going to foot such bills. He, however, said only conditions that had been proven treatment could not be taken care of in Nigeria would such officials be allowed to travel abroad.
The issue of government officials seeking medical attention abroad has been a contentious one for a long time as Nigerians blame the incessant resort to overseas countries for medicare by government officials for government’s neglect of the nation’s health facilities.
To ensure the appropriateness of such policy, Chukwu disclosed that President Goodluck Jonathan has emphasised to him the need to upgrade Nigeria’s tertiary health institutions to world class standards.
Chukwu pointed out that respect for human rights would not let government ban anyone outright from seeking medical treatment abroad, especially when it was obvious that not all medical cases could be handled here in the country.
Besides, “your doctor, midwife or other healthcare practitioner could be based abroad and government will not stop you from going to consult him there,” he said. However, he stressed that “government is thinking of a situation in, which the health ministry or minister will be the one to approve any request for medical treatment of government officials using government funds.” “That means the minister can refuse the official from using public funds to treat a medical condition abroad when such could be handled here in the country.
“If the official insists on treating himself abroad, he could then use his personal funds.” Chukwu also disclosed that President Jonathan has directed him to adopt a reward system that would encourage hardworking health practitioners who are doing well here in Nigeria and then sanction those who are found wanting. This policy is yielding results as the minister announced that brain drain in the health sector is being reversed to brain gain.
Many Nigerians in the Diaspora who have even received better training are coming home to hold talks with the ministry on how they could partner towards setting up specialist health institutions and to provide much needed services.
Against this background, Chukwu assured that by the first quarter of next year, at least one Public-Private-Partnership agreement will be signed for setting up a tertiary health institution in the country.
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