“We lose billions of dollars every year to medical trips abroad. We have also lost a lot of people, not because we don’t have the expertise in the country, We needed a hospital that can run at international standard. We also decided to have a hospital that would answer to the needs of Nigerians in terms of advanced health management. And that was why we built the Akwa Ibom Specialist Hospital ”
This was the Senate Minority Leader and Former Akwa-Ibom governor, Godswill Akpabio speaking after he opened a N30 billion hospital in Akwa Ibom, despite how much he criticized medical trips abroad, stating the effectiveness of the new Akwa Ibom medical facility, yesterday he jetted out of Nigeria in a private aircraft for medical treatment abroad after sustaining injuries in a car crash on Monday.
The lawmaker left for the United Kingdom aboard a private jet Tuesday, government sources said.
Mr. Akpabio, who is the immediate past governor of Akwa Ibom State, was initially treated at the national hospital, Abuja. His car had collided with a United States embassy vehicle after beating the traffic.
Akwa Ibom government sources said the former governor preferred to seek medical help overseas than do so at a N30 billion hospital he opened shortly before leaving office in May.
Unveiling the facility in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital, in May 2015, Mr. Akpabio had told Nigerians the hospital was of world-class specialist standard with ultra-modern medical facilities that would attract medical tourism to state.
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| The Ultra Modern Hospital in Akwa-Ibom |
He said the hospital was equipped with “640 city scanners, digital mammography, endoscopy surgery, highly sophisticated intensive care units and medical gas plants with fully automated laboratories”.
“We lose billions of dollars every year to medical trips abroad. We have also lost a lot of people, not because we don’t have the expertise in the country,” Mr. Akpabio said during the commissioning of the hospital.
“We needed a hospital that can run at international standard. We also decided to have a hospital that would answer to the needs of Nigerians in terms of advanced health management. And that was why we built the Akwa Ibom Specialist Hospital,” he said.
He said the hospital was higher than a teaching hospital, and that it was a “quaternary hospital”. The governor said the entire hospital system was hooked up to the global system for best practice.
“We are starting it with about six modular theatres with equipment, that if for instance you are doing a cardiological investigation on a patient, cardiologists from around the world can hook up to the theatre and see real time what is going on and make their contributions to the examination and operation,” he said.
Mr. Akpabio also noted that instead of rich Nigerians and other nationals of West African countries to go abroad, it would be easier to visit the Uyo hospital.
“Sometimes, people die in the air while being transported abroad for treatment. We wanted to shorten travel time for patients going abroad and at the same time get revenue for the state from health tourism,” he saoid.
“It is a beautiful concept, it is also very big. It is comfort combined with excellence. We have about 380 suites and so many operating wards. We are starting with 150 expatriates all at once. We are in agreement with a Swiss hospital group and an Arab healthcare group in partnership with Cardio Care in Lagos, which is a group of cardiologists.” Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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I have said it in my earlier post that the so-called medical tourism by the Nigerian politicians is a decoy to launder money abroad. You will discover that they all travel with big suit cases and ghana-must-go bags, filled with foreign currencies. This is a clear case of wickedness against humanity! God will judge them ALL.
ReplyDeleteCriminals-cum-politicians! They never practice what they preach!
ReplyDeleteFrom d news he was on his way to d airport to travel abroad to visit his family when the incident happened. From the news also he walked himself to the aircraft at the airport and did not look ruffle. So what if he was just continuing his journey and having his family whom must have been expecting him by his side while checking himself up. There is no big deal here. NE just want to make a moth hill out of nothing.
ReplyDeleteSo what wrong has he done,Apc can never change with their propagande message.
ReplyDeleteAt lest he has done something Worth emulating
Of course, something worth emulating like traveling abroad for medical treatment after a 30Billion Naira self-acclaimed world-class hospital was built.
DeleteMuyiwa thank you for schooling him. But I can tell you that it was a waste of time
DeleteHahahahaha! Don't mind hypocrites, i bet you he is as poor as any other displaced Nigerian. In the first place, his driver should be prosecuted for beating a traffic light and attempted murder. Secondly i hope his medical bill will not be picked up by the govt.
DeleteThirdly, Buhari in the other electioneering campaign before this last one promised ton end medical treatment abroad and schooling abroad, i hope he still remembers that. This fight against corruption is not the president's responsibility alone, Nigerians need to rise up and say no to all these evil the people we voted in and those that rigged themselves in are perpetrating. enough is Enough
Muyiwa,was he carried on a wheel chair???@ least it was reported dat he looked fit...wat if he was just continuing his journey??mtsheew...noise makers...wen u see and taste money,u will surely prefer things of standard....
ReplyDeleteWhat do you expect from bunch of citizens with poor educational background? Illogical comments you say.
ReplyDeleteFor once, we now have a sense of HISTORY!
ReplyDeleteAkpabio, Akpabio! Did he urge the driver to beat traffic? I think the US Embassy ought to file a petition. And Mr Godswill should pay for any damage to the Embassy car.
ReplyDelete