Nigerian medical tourism ban for public servants

A bill will regulate and prohibit medical trips abroad by public servants at the expense of the Nigerian government.

A bill to amend the National Health Act 2014 to regulate and prohibit medical trips abroad by public servants at the expense of the government has passed a second reading at the House of Representatives. The amendment seeks to curb the huge foreign exchange loss to medical tourism.
5,000 Nigerians fly out on a monthly basis, seeking medical treatment in India and other countries. Nigeria loses over 500 million dollars annually, with India alone getting about 260 million dollars of the cash flight.
Only serious health cases, which cannot be attended to in Nigeria, would be granted approval by the Minister of Health.
The bill does not seek to stop public officials going overseas for medical treatment at their own expense. But it seeks to put an end to the huge cost often incurred by government in the treatment of public officials abroad.