Why I Banned Overseas Medical Treatment ..... Amaechi

By Blessing Wikina - Ag. Chief Press Secretary to the Governor

Monday, March 1, 2010

Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State had given reasons why the state government stopped financing overseas medical treatment for her citizens.

Speaking at this month’s inter-Ministerial meeting in Government House, Port Harcourt, Governor Amaechi said a whopping sum of N1.5 billion was spent last year on medical trips abroad on various persons in Rivers State, adding that such amount would have been used to build and equip at least three new health facilities in the state.

“It is sad that most people who died as a result of absence of medical facilities in Nigeria, would have been saved if we equip our hospitals”, he said.

Governor Amaechi said henceforth, no request for medical treatment overseas should be sent to him, adding “anybody who seeks medical treatment abroad should pay from his private pocket, not Rivers State Government money”.

He therefore directed the Commissioner for Health to immediately pay all contractors handling the construction of the new Primary Healthcare Centres so that they are put to use by citizens in the Communities.

On the management of hospitals in the state, the Governor said a new structure would soon be put in place to test run the outsourcing of Hospital Management to experts, so that Medical Doctors can concentrate on treatment of Patients alone.

The monthly Inter-Ministerial meeting was attended by Commissioners, Permanent Secretaries, Special Advisers and Assistants, Heads of Tertiary Institutions, Heads of Parastatals, and Media Houses, as well as members of the State Economic Advisory Council, and is held once a month.