The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Cassona Global Imaging Limited, John Chigbu, has raised strong concerns over the rising trend of medical tourism among Nigerians, blaming it on limited access to quality healthcare within the country.
Speaking at the launch of the company’s medical imaging programme and diagnostic equipment in Abuja, held in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy, Chigbu stressed the urgent need to transform Nigeria from a nation that exports patients into one that attracts medical tourists.
“We must reverse this trend,” he said. “We need medical tourism to come into Nigeria, not the other way around. Quality healthcare should be accessible to all Nigerians, not just the privileged few.”
Chigbu explained that Cassona Global Imaging’s mission is centered on making high-quality healthcare services available to every Nigerian. A key part of that mission, he noted, is the localisation of healthcare delivery by recruiting and training Nigerian professionals to meet the country’s growing medical needs.
“We must build capacity within our borders. That means training Nigerian engineers and healthcare professionals to deliver world-class care right here in Nigeria,” Chigbu said.
Also speaking at the event, Blake Murray, Foreign Commercial Service Officer at the U.S. Mission in Nigeria, described the partnership as a significant boost to Nigeria’s efforts to modernise its healthcare system.
Murray noted that collaborations between U.S. companies and Nigerian institutions have the potential to improve patient outcomes, reduce costs, increase healthcare access, and strengthen disease prevention and control.
He praised Cassona Global Imaging’s investment as a clear indication of U.S. private sector interest in Nigeria’s healthcare landscape, highlighting the potential for such partnerships to foster shared progress and economic growth in both nations.
The event marked a milestone in advancing diagnostic healthcare in Nigeria and further underscored the importance of public-private partnerships in addressing systemic challenges in the sector.
