BY VICTORIA OJEME

INDIAN hospitals are fast taking advantage of lapses in the Nigerian healthcare delivery system to attract Nigerians seeking high class medical treatment with international touch. One of such hospitals that have already set up shop is the Primus International Super Specialty Hospital located in Karu, a suburb of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.

Chairperson of the India- based hospital, Mrs Achia Dewan said the objective was to establish a network of world class centres in health care by providing state of the art facility and creation of ethical, compassionate patient care through professional excellence. The 120 bed space international hospital services, according to Dewan will offer several state-of-the-art services including neurosciences, kidney transplantation, minimal access and bariatric surgery, among other means of preventive health.

The need to reduce the cost of travel for prospective Nigerian patients also informed establishment of the hospital, she said.

Debunking allegations of unmethodical practices by some Indian hospitals in their quest for Nigerian clients, Indian High Commissioner, Mr Suresh Makhijani, said the Indian health care system is almost entirely in the hands of the private sector.

“Medical Tourism in India has nothing to do with the government. It is mainly a private sector affair, and it is not practiced only in India, it is done in Canada U.S.A and other countries. Our duty here in the Embassy is to grant visas to patient and a family member. We have no hand in the person”s affair or have any thing to do with the hospital.

He noted that many Nigerian doctors in the hospital would be given preferential treatment especially because the health facility would be carrying out sensitive heart and kidney transplantation surgeries among others.”