The Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, has assured the citizens that the soon-to-be-inaugurated Reference Hospital, Okene, will put an end to medical tourism in the country.
The governor added the ultra-modern medical epicenter was fully equipped with world-class state-of-the-art facilities.
He noted that the hospital has several first-of-its-kind medical equipment which could render similar services to world-renowned hospitals that many Nigerians run to for healthcare.
The governor made this known on Monday during the inspection of the 300-bed space Reference Hospital, Okene which stands unique among the several medical facilities, initiated by his administration.
He stated that what inspired the conception of such a befitting, gigantic, and the well-equipped medical facility was the understudy of expenses Nigerians make on seeking medical attention outside the shores of Nigeria as a result of various medical conditions.
The governor who expressed satisfaction with the level and quality of work done across all the projects inspected stressed that aside that the fact that Reference hospitals would stop medical tourism, it would also help save the country millions of dollars spent abroad on medical bills
Bello noted that while the government planned to help the hospital stand on its feet when operations commenced, it was already working out an all-encompassing model which would be used to run the medical facilities, alongside other ultra-modern hospitals in a bid to guarantee their self-sustenance, while they remained affordable for the people of the state.
Some of the remarkable facilities in the Hospital, inspected by the governor included Paediatric wards, Operation theatres, conference rooms, laboratories, Labour rooms, Emergency wards, offices, and many more.
Experts spoke to revealed that the hospital could attend to any form of medical challenges adding that the oxygen plant installed in the hospital could provide oxygen for other neighboring hospitals across the country.
