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The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has called for stronger medical training and improved healthcare facilities in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions as part of efforts to curb the country’s growing reliance on treatment abroad.
The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, made the call on Tuesday in Abuja, during a courtesy visit by the Chief of the Air Staff, Sunday Aneke, and a delegation from the Nigerian Air Force to the agency’s headquarters.
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Mr Echono said the federal government had directed relevant agencies to prioritise investments in medical education and healthcare infrastructure to discourage Nigerians from seeking treatment abroad.
He noted that the approach includes improving the facilities used to train medical professionals and expanding the capacity of hospitals that provide public healthcare.
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“We should significantly improve the facilities available, not only for the teaching of the four core medical courses – medicine, pharmacy, nursing and dentistry – but also for the provision of healthcare for our teeming population,” he said.
Persistent medical tourism challenge
Medical tourism – when patients travel abroad to receive treatment – has remained a challenge for Nigeria’s healthcare system for years, with many citizens and political elites seeking specialised care in countries such as the United Kingdom, India, the United States and the United Arab Emirates.
According to the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Nigeria loses about $2 billion annually to outbound medical tourism.
The association noted that while developed countries frequently recruit Nigerian-trained doctors, many political leaders travel to those same countries for medical care that could potentially be provided locally if facilities were adequately equipped.
Experts say the trend reflects long-standing issues in Nigeria’s health sector, including shortages of modern equipment, inadequate funding, and a growing migration of healthcare professionals to other countries.
Data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) also shows that Nigerians spent about $3.82 million on foreign healthcare-related services in 2023, down from $9.06 million in 2022.
The figure declined further to about $2.41 million in 2024, representing a 36.9 per cent reduction compared with 2023.
Experts said the drop may be partly linked to foreign exchange restrictions and rising travel costs, rather than to significant improvements in domestic healthcare services.
Support for teaching hospitals
Mr Echono said TETFund is extending its interventions beyond university medical faculties to teaching hospitals to improve clinical training.
He said the agency is not only focusing on its medical faculties but also extending the same support to teaching hospitals.
“When our students go for their clinical training, they will have accommodation within those teaching hospitals. We are also providing medical equipment across the board,” he said.
He added that the country must also address shortages in other healthcare professions that support doctors within the medical system.
“At the top of the pyramid, we have medical doctors, but others provide critical support services. The question is how we can significantly increase the numbers in those relevant supporting fields.”
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Support for aviation medicine
During the visit, the Chief of the Air Staff, Mr Aneke, said that over the years, the Fund’s interventions in the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) have been truly remarkable and impactful.
He appealed to TETFund for intervention at the Nigerian Air Force School of Medical Sciences and Aviation Medicine.
“The school will not only cater to the Nigerian Air Force but will also serve our civilian counterparts.”
Mr Echono confirmed that AFIT had benefited from several of the agency’s projects, including staff accommodation and plans for the institution’s perimeter fencing.
Responding to a request for support in aviation medicine, Mr Echono said proposals would be presented to the TETFund Board of Trustees as part of ongoing federal initiatives to strengthen medical education and healthcare infrastructure.
“I pledge to you that I will make a special case to the Board of Trustees under the presidential initiative on providing equipment and facilities for medical establishments and related fields,” he said.
