The House of Representatives Committee on Health Institutions is dedicated to reducing the rate of foreign medical tourism by Nigerians. The committee’s chairman, Mr. Amos Magaji, announced this initiative during an oversight visit to the Federal Teaching Hospital in Katsina on Tuesday.
Magaji, who represents the Zango Kataf/Jaba Federal constituency of Kaduna State, emphasized the committee’s commitment to providing necessary facilities, structures, workforce, and other essential resources. He explained that the inspection of health facilities aimed to assess their conditions and identify ways to improve them for effective healthcare delivery in the state.
“One of the visions of the 10th National Assembly is to reduce medical tourism by ensuring that we reposition Nigeria’s healthcare sector. The aim is to make healthcare services affordable and accessible, especially in tertiary healthcare in Nigeria. In doing that, there are things we will address immediately and there are things we will address later,” Magaji stated.
He highlighted the disparity in government spending, noting that while a significant amount is allocated to personnel costs (N14 billion), only a fraction (N2 billion) is allocated to capital projects. “If the government is spending N14 billion, we should be able to see maybe N20 billion for capital projects,” he added.
Magaji also urged the hospital management to adhere to the federal character principle in their employment and appointments. Additionally, he mentioned efforts to resolve issues related to the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) decapitation.
The committee chairman congratulated the hospital on its upgrade from a Federal Medical Centre to a Teaching Hospital, expressing hope that the change would lead to significant improvements in training, research, and service provision for the people of Katsina.
Earlier, the hospital’s Chief Medical Director (CMD), Dr. Suleiman Bello, reported that the hospital had undertaken several capital projects over the past five years. He assured that the hospital is equipped with modern equipment and is committed to training consultants and specialists to ensure quality healthcare delivery.
