Nigeria and Israel Join Forces to Enhance Healthcare Services
Nigeria and Israel have embarked on a collaborative journey to improve healthcare services specifically for patients with liver and pancreatic diseases. This partnership is geared towards specialized training for Nigerian healthcare professionals and the enhancement of the country’s healthcare infrastructure, aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s vision for universal healthcare coverage.
At the Hepato Pancreato Biliary symposium in Abuja, Dr. Salma Anas, Special Adviser to the President on Health, emphasized the importance of early disease detection and praised the tangible outcomes of this international cooperation. “The partnership has already yielded positive results, with a recent medical intervention at the Federal Medical Centre in Abuja demonstrating the effectiveness of collaborative efforts,” she stated.
Dr. Anas commended Israeli Ambassador Michael Freeman and Professor Sa’ad, along with other international experts, for their pivotal roles in this initiative. She outlined future plans to establish a capacity-based resource center at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), which would focus on training and research, becoming a hub for healthcare professionals across Nigeria.
“We want to create a legacy that goes beyond this initial success. We aim to build a sustainable partnership that will continue to improve healthcare services in Nigeria,” Anas added, highlighting the goal to reduce medical tourism and enhance local health outcomes.
Ambassador Freeman echoed these sentiments, noting Israel’s commitment to contributing to Nigeria’s healthcare challenges. “Our dream is that Nigeria becomes a centre of excellence where people come on medical tourism to Nigeria, not from Nigeria,” Freeman said. He confirmed that the initiative has already saved four lives and expressed Israel’s intent to expand collaboration into eye care and malaria treatment.
Professor Sa’ad Ahmed, Chief Medical Director of FMC, represented by Dr. Bioku Muftau, Head of Clinical Services, expressed gratitude for the partnership. “The successful surgeries performed on four patients were a testament to the positive impact of international cooperation,” Muftau stated, noting that this collaboration is a continuation of long-standing efforts with various international organizations to perform complex surgeries locally.
This partnership not only aims at immediate health benefits but also at making Nigeria a beacon of medical excellence in the region.