The Federal Government has appealed for collaboration between Nigerian nurses and midwives practicing in the United Kingdom to transform Nigeria into a sought-after destination for medical tourism. The call was made by Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), during the 25th-anniversary gala night of the Nigerian Nurses Charitable Association in the UK. The event centered around the theme “Leading the Future, Influencing Global Health.”
Dabiri-Erewa commended the nurses and midwives for their charitable contributions and encouraged them to continue making a positive impact on society. She highlighted the commitment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to enhance healthcare facilities and practices in Nigeria.
Emphasizing the potential for collaboration, Dabiri-Erewa urged Nigerian healthcare practitioners in the diaspora to work in tandem with their counterparts in Nigeria, envisioning the country as a prominent medical tourist destination. She called for increased partnerships, focusing on knowledge exchange, telemedicine initiatives, and skills transfer programs.
In response, the UK-based nurses and midwives advocated for a structured Memorandum of Understanding regarding the migration of health workers between the governments of Nigeria and the United Kingdom. Wendy Olayiwola, the President of the association, pledged their continued commitment to contributing expertise through collaborations with medical institutions in Nigeria. Olayiwola stressed the importance of establishing more platforms for networking and communication to foster a collaborative environment for sharing insights and best practices.
Commending Nigerians living in the UK, Mayor Micheal Situ of Southwark assured effective and efficient service to the community, acknowledging the positive impact of such collaborations on healthcare initiatives.
