Specialist Hospital To Boost Tourism In A’Ibom

The Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Health, Dr Emem Bassey, said the specialist hospital being constructed in Uyo would provide medical tourism in the state when completed.
Bsssey said, this on  Sunday,  in Uyo, that the state government was committed to making the hospital, called “20th Anniversary Hospital”, a referral centre of international repute.
He said that Governor Godswill Akpabio had made huge investment in the health sector and was currently building additional three general hospitals in the three senatorial districts of the state.
He said that at the completion of the 20th anniversary hospital, Nigerians and other African countries would seek medical care in Uyo, instead of Indian and other western countries.
The commissioner said that the state government was looking out for international investors in the health sector who would manage and sustain the projects for 15 years.
According to him, no fewer than three top Indian hospitals had indicated interest in managing the hospitals.
He said that at the expiration of the concession period, indigenes of the state would have been trained to take over the running of the hospitals.
“We accept the fact that we, at the moment, have some manpower shortage and that if we decide to run it ourselves, we probably will not be able to offer the kind of services inherent in a referral centre. We are looking at being able to provide quality medical care, the kind of service you will find in hospitals in Europe, U.S. and India. “By the time we are able to offer the kind of services obtainable in the above mentioned countries, Akwa Ibom will become a medical tourist destination,’’ Bassey said.