Implications of Outbound Medical Tourism on Public Health Care Development in Nigeria

Abstract

Medical tourism is the practice of patients travelling out of their country of origin or residence for the purpose of getting access to medical care services abroad. Outbound medical tourism is a phenomenon in Nigeria thereby contributing to the growth of the health care industry in destination countries. The paper examines the implications of outbound medical tourism on public health care development in Nigeria and reinforces the need for the Federal Government of Nigeria to restructure and reposition the health sector in the country towards effective and efficient health service delivery. The study employs secondary source of data. Public administrators and health care practitioners concerned about transforming Nigeria into a centre of medical tourist attraction may find it suitable to start by examining the issues raised in this study to initiate a good policy framework for the health sector. The study concludes that huge investment in the health sector can drastically reduce outbound medical tourism, make health care services affordable to all Nigerians and utilising foreign exchange to develop other relevant sectors of the Nigerian economy.