TETFund Expands Medical Training Infrastructure to Curb Nigeria Medical Tourism
Chukwu Obinna 
Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke and Executive Secretary, TETFund, Sonny Echono
ABUJA, Nigeria – Nigeria’s Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) is ramping up investment in medical education infrastructure to tackle the country’s persistent medical tourism crisis, Executive Secretary Sonny Echono says.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by a Nigerian Air Force delegation to the agency’s headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, Echono reveals that President Bola Tinubu has directed the agency to develop strategies that can reverse the flow of Nigerians travelling abroad for treatment.
“Only about a week ago, I had extensive conversations with the Minister of Education. As we thrive, Mr President has been very supportive, and one of the directives he gave us was to see how we can reverse medical tourism in the country,” Echono says.
He explains that the fund will expand support beyond university medical faculties to teaching hospitals where clinical students receive practical training.
“We are not only focusing on our faculties of medicine; we are extending the same support to teaching hospitals as well. When our students go for their clinical training, they will have accommodation within those teaching hospitals. We are also providing medical equipment across the board,” he says.
Echono stresses that strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system requires developing the entire medical workforce.
“At the top of the pyramid, we have medical doctors, but others provide critical support services. The question is how we can significantly increase the numbers in those relevant supporting fields,” he adds.
The Nigerian Air Force delegation, led by Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, also seeks TETFund intervention for the Nigerian Air Force School of Medical Sciences and Aviation Medicine.
“For the Nigerian Air Force, TETFund has remained a long-standing strategic partner. Over the years, the fund’s interventions in the Air Force Institute of Technology have been truly remarkable and impactful,” Aneke says.
Responding, Echono pledges to present the proposal to the TETFund Board of Trustees under the federal government’s medical infrastructure initiative.
“I pledge to you that I will make a special case to the Board of Trustees under the presidential initiative on providing equipment and facilities for medical establishments and related fields,” he says.
Nigeria continues to face shortages of modern medical facilities and specialists, driving thousands of patients abroad annually for treatment.
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