FG Says Citizen-Focused Health Care Delivery Will End Medical Tourism

Mamman Mahmuda, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, has said citizen-centred healthcare delivery will end medical tourism in Nigeria.

Mahmuda said this on Tuesday in Abuja, during a two-day SERVICOM retreat for principal officers of teaching hospitals, Federal Medical Centre (FMC), and other health institutions.

“We are trying to move forward on vital issues that are sensitive and centred on the citizens so that they can have the best services possible with the available resources.

“I task the participants to change to a positive attitude and have the citizens at heart because they are vital so that at the end of the day the issue of seeking medical attention outside the country will be over.”

Also speaking, Nnenna Akajameli, the National Coordinator, SERVICOM Office, represented by Ternenge Nyipira, the Team Lead SERVICOM said that as SERVICOM foot soldiers, there is a need for them to begin to think outside the box.

Adding that this would help in adding value to the service delivery of processes in the various hospitals and agencies to the satisfaction of citizens and for the common good of every Nigerian.

“In today’s world, the concept of design thinking as a way of creative resolution of problems is fast gaining ground and I would therefore appeal for solution-focused thinking as we attend to issues of service failures at all service points.

“For example, attending to complaints in a timely, transparent manner and showing empathy to the citizens, carrying out satisfaction surveys and stakeholders engagements.”

According to her, the two-day meeting serves as a means for Nodal/Focal and Desk Officers to network and interact on issues concerning service delivery improvement in the Federal Ministry of Health and all its hospitals and agencies.

Also commenting, Dr Jag Momoh, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) National Hospital, Abuja, said that during the meeting, decisions would be taken to ensure that efficient service delivery was rendered to patients, adding that there would be a nationwide principle on patient schedule in all federal teaching hospitals.

“They should pay attention and suggest ways whereby our patients can have good service delivery where patients’ experience can be much better because when patients are sick we ought to be patient with them because they are under pressure.”

According to Dr Tayo Haastrup, the Nodal Officer at the hospital, the retreat is held every quarter to assess the quality of service in the health sector because service delivery to patients was very important.

“We have assembled the national officers, all nodal officers in all Federal Medical Centres and hospitals in this country to make sure that when quality service has been rendered by hospitals, there will be no need for people to go abroad for treatment.

“We can do it, the doctors we have in this country are very effective and efficient.

“We just have to continue to monitor and have programmes for the staff, doctors, nurses and other sectors of the hospital set up to make sure they give their best to reduce medical tourism in Nigeria.”