For years, Nigerians have voiced frustration over the routine practice of government officials and wealthy individuals traveling abroad for medical treatment—even for minor ailments like malaria—instead of investing in and utilizing local healthcare systems.

This trend is particularly rampant among politicians and top officials, many of whom fund these trips with public money, further draining the national economy and denying ordinary citizens access to quality healthcare.

Public outcry has grown not just over the misuse of taxpayer funds, but also over the broader economic impact: Nigerian money is being used to boost foreign healthcare systems, while the local sector suffers from neglect and underdevelopment. Citizens argue that the same leaders who have the power to improve healthcare in Nigeria are the ones avoiding it.

Tragically, some of these overseas trips end in death. For instance, the late former president Muhammadu Buhari reportedly died during a recent medical visit to London, with all related expenses—hospital bills and transport—covered by the government.

Adding to the irony, many of the medical professionals treating Nigerian leaders abroad are Nigerians who left the country in search of better working conditions.

Medical experts and stakeholders recently gathered at the University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED), Ondo, for the fourth annual Public Health Grand Round. During the event, health professionals revealed that Nigeria loses approximately $1.2 to $1.3 billion every year to medical tourism due to the fragility of its health system.

Dr. Habibu Yahaya, WHO Coordinator in Ondo State, attributed this loss to systemic issues such as poor funding, inadequate infrastructure, recurring strikes, and lack of resilience in the health sector.

Professor Adolphus Loto, UNIMED’s Acting Vice-Chancellor, stressed the need to strengthen health systems to withstand shocks and continue delivering essential services. Similarly, panelists at the event called for task shifting, better remuneration, sustainable health financing, improved emergency preparedness, community engagement, and data-driven planning to address the human resource gap and enhance service delivery.

Reacting to the figures, public affairs analyst James Osewele described the situation as “a national disgrace” and urged for a law to ban public officials from seeking medical treatment abroad. He argued that this would force government leaders to fix the broken health system since they would have no choice but to use it themselves.

Osewele cited past cases—including the deaths of former presidents Yar’Adua and Buhari in foreign hospitals—as reasons to halt the practice. He further advocated for a ban on public officials sending their children abroad for education, believing it would drive investment in local institutions.

Health professionals echoed similar sentiments. Dr. Davies Olanrewaju, a private hospital physician in Lagos, stated that the actual amount spent on medical tourism likely exceeds the reported $1.3 billion. He blamed poor working conditions and low pay for the mass exodus of doctors.

Nurse Omoruyi Victoria reminisced about a time when even foreign dignitaries sought medical care in Nigeria. She lamented the steady decline in healthcare funding, calling Nigeria's current health budget a far cry from UN recommendations. She emphasized that only a significant boost in budget allocation, coupled with genuine policy implementation, can revive Nigeria’s healthcare system and curb the demand for foreign medical trips.