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Experts caution that symptom-based care could result in an incorrect diagnosis.
Medical specialists have stated that the unabated brain drain in the health sector, also referred to as "japa syndrome," will continue to have a detrimental effect on treatment outcomes.
The experts noted that many doctors only treat their patients based on symptoms due to a lack of staff and equipment, and they cautioned against relying solely on this kind of care since it may result in incorrect diagnosis and medication.
They observed that wealthy Nigerians are still travelling abroad for medical care due to a shortage of staff and modern equipment in the nation's hospitals.
Dr. Abiola Olorode, the CEO of the new multispecialty Diamed Healthcare Centre in Lagos, revealed this information at a press conference for the upcoming debut of the health facility.
She identified a lack of advanced medical tools and over-reliance on symptom-based treatments as key drivers of medical tourism in Nigeria.
"Unfortunately, this limits physicians to treating patients based solely on their symptoms, which can result in incorrect diagnoses and overuse of medication," stated Olorode.
As of right now, the Nigerian Medical Association reports that 10,296 physicians with training from Nigeria are working in the United Kingdom.
In 2023, Prof. Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, stated that approximately 400,000 healthcare personnel are still required in Nigeria in order to adequately meet the country's healthcare demands.
According to the CEO of Diamed, healthcare professionals in Nigeria need to base their treatments on evidence-based practices in order to curtail medical tourism.
Modern equipment, according to her, will enable a greater range of tests, which will improve treatment outcomes and lead to more accurate diagnoses.
"Diamed Diagnostic Centre is a multi-specialty facility offering a wide range of diagnostic services, preventive care options, and consultations with experienced healthcare professionals," stated Olorode. The facility will soon be officially unveiled.
The medical director shared her expertise, stating that she has seen firsthand the difficulties Nigeria faces with little diagnostic resources and a reliance on symptom-based therapy.
"This method may result in incorrect diagnoses, needless prescriptions, and drug resistance. Diamed's goal is to offer Nigerians evidence-based, high-quality healthcare in a welcoming and convenient setting.
"I have been working on the planning, building, and feasibility research for the past ten years or so. Thus, the main reason this occurred to me is that, based on my training in the UK, and the US, the type of healthcare you get abroad should be available to Nigerians.
“That’s one of the things that made me think of it because if you look at this, you can get all the state-of-the-art technology to do evidence-based management of patients”, she said.
Olorode clarified the significance of providing patients with evidence-based care by asking, "What do I mean by evidence-based? A patient presents with several symptoms when they first meet you, and you proceed to undertake what is known as an examination of the patient based on the symptoms.
"After that, you select a science based on the examination," Now that you have the patient's symptoms and medical history, you can attempt to make a diagnosis.
"Normally, at this point, you should conduct a number of tests to validate your suspicions about the patient's condition."
She claimed that because diagnostic equipment and tools were lacking in Nigeria, individuals there went straight from studying symptoms and science to prescribing medicine.
Furthermore, it is centred on preventive care, she said. Diamed strongly believes in patient-centered treatment and promotes yearly physicals as well as the early identification of health problems. The centre promotes a tailored approach to care and places a high priority on patient comfort.
"The centre is easily accessible and in a good location. It also employs qualified medical personnel. We had a group of highly skilled medical professionals, including internal physicians as well as a network of experts and consultants.
Joseph Adeyanju, the center's facility manager, emphasised the necessity of ending medical tourism in Nigeria.
Among its notable qualities, Adeyanju listed the facility's speciality divisions for cardiology, cancer, neurology, and orthopaedics.
According to him, every department is staffed by highly qualified medical personnel with training from both domestic and foreign sources, and it is equipped with cutting edge technology.
For example, we installed the 3 Dimensions Mammography System, the nation's first 3D mammography machine. By offering improved images to assist detect breast cancer in its earliest, most treatable stages, the new technology will contribute to the delivery of a higher standard of care.
The facility manager at Diamed Centre stated, "3D mammography will improve our ability to better detect dangerous cancers and at the same time reduce the likelihood of further testing for suspicious findings that turn out not to be cancer."