Foreigners now visit Nigeria for plastic surgery, others – Minister

Nigeria’s healthcare is no longer in crisis, Minister of State for Health, Dr Tunji Alausa, has said.

He said citizens of other countries in Asia, Europe and South America were beginning to visit Nigeria for medical treatment, especially in plastic surgery.

He spoke in an interview on Arise TV, maintaining that Nigeria now has reversed medical tourism.

“Today, we have a reversed medical tourism. We no longer have a japa syndrome in the healthcare system.

People are coming from India, South America and Europe for medical treatment in Nigeria, especially in the surgical area.”

He claimed that with improvements in the healthcare system, the country was witnessing a reversal of the ‘japa syndrome,’ suggesting that medical personnel were returning home from abroad.

According to him, the proliferation of aesthetic hospitals, numbering close to 900 across Nigeria, also contributes to attracting patients seeking services such as plastic surgery.

“Today, we have almost 900 aesthetic hospitals around Nigeria. People are coming to get plastic surgery,’’ he said.

He noted that the administration’s commitment to prioritising public health led to positive changes in the healthcare sector.

“We have a President now that believes a healthy nation is the core to harnessing our biggest asset, which is our human capital,” Alausa said.

He added that the government allocated dedicated funds and initiated collaborations to enhance primary healthcare services and expand health insurance coverage.

“The President has mandated us to increase coverage from about seven million to about 50 million people to have health insurance in the next two to three years.

“This marks the highest budget allocation for the health sector in almost 24 years,” he said.

Measles outbreak kills 42 in northern Nigerian state

The Adamawa State Government confirmed on Friday evening that 42 individuals have tragically succumbed to a measles outbreak.

Nido infant milk neither registered nor sold in Nigeria – NAFDAC

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, on Sunday declared that the Nido infant milk formula, alleged to contain sugar or honey, was not registered and sold in Nigeria.

The director-general of NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye, made this known in a statement obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos.

Mr Adeyeye said the attention of NAFDAC’s Management was drawn to an online publication alleging that one of the worlds largest consumer goods company added sugar and honey to infant milk and cereal products sold in many poorer countries, contrary to international guidelines aimed at preventing obesity and chronic diseases.

It stated that the online publication of April 17, 2024 was being circulated widely to the general public.

Mr Adeyeye said the report further stated that samples of baby food products sold in Asia, Africa and Latin America were tested and results revealed that sugar and honey were added in form of sucrose in samples of Nido and Cerelac.

“The Management of NAFDAC wishes to use this medium to reassure the public that the Agency exercises due regulatory diligence in the registration of infant and young children foods distributed and used in Nigeria.

“This is in line with relevant Codex Alimentarius international food standards (Codex) and more specifically, Nigerian Industrial Standards (NIS).

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“This is applicable to all categories of infant and young children foods distributed by manufacturers, importers, and marketers of infant and young children foods operating within Nigeria.

“Regarding the mention of Nido follow-up milk formula in the publication, NAFDAC wishes to state that the product is not registered in Nigeria, is not known to the Agency and is not in circulation in Nigeria,” she stated.