By Victor Nwegede, Abakaliki.
The House of Representatives Committee on Health Institutions has expressed its readiness to redirect medical tourism to Nigeria instead of abroad under President Bola Tinubu-led administration.
The lower chambers of the National Assembly disclosed this on Thursday when its members of the committee on health institutions paid an official oversight visit to the management and staff of the David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital, DUFUTH, Uburu in Ebonyi State.
The committee also assured of reducing the JAPA syndrome, saying that the 10th National Assembly has concluded its determination to declare a state of emergency on health.
The members of the Committee, who spoke through their Chairman, Amos Magaji commended the past administration in Ebonyi led by Senator David Umahi, for building such an edifice as the University Teaching Hospital in the state.
Magaji said: "The vision of this centre is in line with the vision of the 10th National Assembly on advancing health institutions in this country. The vision of this committee is redirecting medical tourism to Nigeria and that's what this centre is meant for; showing that it will make sure Nigerians are no longer travelling abroad for medical tourism.
"We have toured around, and seen health facilities such as liner accelerator, MRI machines, and of course the dedicated medical staff, among others. So, what we have seen in this hospital is interesting.
"One of the reasons for being here is to see things by ourselves. It will be part of what will form the appropriation of funds, interventions and of course yearly budgeting."
The Chairman noted that the facilities in the University needed to be sustained and assured that the challenges facing the institution would be appropriately addressed by the present administration.
"We have seen the facilities in the hospital need to be sustained. We have toured around and equally seen where the hospital has issues of staff remuneration, light problem, water scarcity, and other challenges," he pointed out.
The Federal lawmaker advised well-meaning Nigerians and other citizens of the country to visit the hospital for any health challenges, assuring them of quality medication and services.
Earlier in her address, the Chief Medical Director of DUFUTH, Uburu, Prof Uzoma Agwu drew the attention of the committee to some factors that have been hampering the effective and smooth attainment of the lofty projections in the institution.
According to her, the challenges of the institution were not limited to the absence of a steady water supply source and epileptic power supply from the public energy source.
"The weight of our budgetary allocation is so minimal to the volume of structural and superstructural facilities required to keep the teaching hospital afloat and sustain the existing standard as a centre of medical excellence.
"To this end, we appeal for your legislative intervention to increase our budgetary allocation and recruitment of more experienced and qualified staff to beef up the strength of personnel in this hospital."
