NewStats: 3,264,411 , 8,183,649 topics. Date: Tuesday, 10 June 2025 at 11:44 PM 4jt5e

Thirteen patients from the United States have come to Nigeria for kidney transplants at the Zenith Medical and Kidney Centre.

This is according to Vice President Kashim Shettima who observed that Nigeria is witnessing a surge in reverse medical tourism, with patients from the United States and other countries thronging the nation’s hospitals to seek affordable and high-quality kidney transplants.

The Vice President attributed the choice of Nigeria for treatment to affordability and high-quality expertise within the country’s medical community.

Speaking on Thursday during a courtesy visit by the Nigerian Association of Nephrology (NAN) at the Presidential Villa ahead of the association’s 37th Scientific Conference, VP Shettima stressed the need for further investments in specialised medical education to sustain this progress.

He said: “There is reverse medical tourism these days fundamentally because of the level of care at some of our hospitals. Recently, thirteen patients from the United States came to Nigeria for kidney transplants at Zenith Medical and Kidney Centre because it is much cheaper here, and they receive the same level of expertise available anywhere in the world.”

The Vice President praised Dr. Olalekan Olatise, Chief Medical Director of Zenith Medical and Kidney Centre, for his contributions to kidney care, describing him as “a very decent man who is highly altruistic” in his efforts to assist humanity.

Shettima however noted the financial strain on patients, many of whom sell their homes or rely on government to afford transplants.

“While getting a kidney transplant is a significant challenge, life after a transplant presents even more difficulties. Many patients struggle with the cost of post-transplant care, including immunosuppressants, which are essential to maintaining their health,” he said.

The Vice President recalled healthcare initiatives he had embarked on during his tenure as Governor of Borno State, as well as the success of ongoing free maternal care programmes he introduced.

“At a hospital in my neighbourhood, we provide a bag of rice and beans to every new mother. They record about 30 births daily, more than even the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH). Over 4,000 deliveries have been recorded in less than eight months, with all medical expenses covered, including caesarean sections,” Shettima said.

The Vice President also reiterated the need for Nigeria to build its medical workforce, noting that when he was in Borno State as Governor, he took 60 female students to study medicine in Sudan.

“About 58 of them completed their education and ed the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) licensing exams. Most of them are now in their medical residency programmes. The beauty of training women in medicine is that they are more likely to stay back and serve their communities.

“We must make deliberate and targeted investments in specialised healthcare education in this country,” the Vice President said.

Earlier, Dr. Olatise, who also serves as the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 37th Scientific Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Association of Nephrology, said the conference with the theme, “Revolutionizing Kidney Care in Nigeria: Evidence-Based Innovations,” will take place in Abuja from February 19-21, 2025.

The association also announced plans to honour Vice President Shettima with the Kidney Champion Award in recognition of his advocacy and direct for kidney patients, including funding immunosuppressants and proposing the establishment of a specialised laboratory for post-transplant care.

“We have noticed the role the Vice President is playing in looking after kidney patients in the country. He has been involved in purchasing immunosuppressants, providing post-transplant care, and even considering setting up a lab to monitor calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) levels for kidney patients. This award is a recognition of his commitment,” Olatise said.

The conference is expected to attract over 600 participants, including Nigerian medical professionals based abroad, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, and manufacturers of dialysis consumables.

As part of its commitment to improving healthcare access, Zenith Medical and Kidney Centre recently partnered with Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital in Sokoto to perform a successful kidney transplant.

Other of the delegation included the Secretary of LOC, Dr Adegboyega Faponle, and the NAN Treasurer, Dr Manmak Mamven.

https://tribuneonlineng.com/13-us-patients-undergo-kidney-transplants-in-nigeria-shettima/amp/

This was how it used to be in the past, when foreigners come to Nigeria for medical treatment. We are gradually restoring the lost glory.
May God bless President Tinubu, May God bless Nigeria.


-Kiss the truth!

And Tinubu is in on a private visit

Nigerian medical professionals are really trying but we have useless people in govt sabotaging their efforts by using scarce forex to embark on medical tourism

Good development. I swear once Nigeria is well developed, even the Blacks in Brazil, the U.S, the Caribbean and all over the world will denounce their slave masters citizenship and flock back to Nigeria where their forefathers were bought and sold into slavery.
The reason why these 13 U.S patients came to Nigeria for kidney transplant is because they cannot just get a kidney transplant in the U.S without being on a transplant list. To be placed on a transplant list, they must be of a certain age, they must be in good health, no smoking or any terminal illness. Then they still have to wait for their turn on the transplant list which can take several years. So in the meantime, they cannot work because they need hemodialysis 3 times a week and each session can take over 4hrs. What kind of life is that?
My uncle was languishing away like that until we advised him to come back home and get a kidney transplant done. He was skeptical at first, doubting the surgeon's ability and the medical facility's capacity to carry out such procedure, but today he says it's the best decision he's ever made in his life. Even 10yrs later he's still waiting on some transplant list in America and they still haven't ed him.

Whose kidney were used.

All the kidnapping and ritual killing.

Tinubu is in enjoying his medical tourism
A so-called medical doctor used YouTube video to murder a woman and her unborn child
You must be very stupid

Yet tinubu dey dey enjoy Fantastic health care

Ojuntana:
And Tinubu is in on a private visit

They are buying kidney very cheap here through black market.
No be naija where human parts are sold in some particular market.
Who will expose them?

As selling off to foreign countries is becoming harder, they have to come home

We will revisit this story in the future
Welcome to Nigeria.

Ojuntana:
And Tinubu is in on a private visit

According to your jaundiced education, "private visit" means "visit for kidney treatment" ?. Always take your medications before coming on Nairaland.


-Kiss the truth!

descarado:


They are buying kidney very cheap here through black market.
No be naija where human parts are sold in some particular market.
Who will expose them?

As selling off to foreign countries is becoming harder, they have to come home

We will revisit this story in the future
Welcome to Nigeria.

Are you forgetting that some people travel abroad to willing sell their Kidneys. Why would foreign citizens have to shoulder the burdens of coming down to Nigeria to buy a kidney when some Nigerians themselves supply them abroad cheaply?. Have you quickly forgotten what got Ekweremadu into jail abroad?. You can't take away this glory from Nigeria, our medical centers are gradually being on high demand by foreigners.


-Kiss the truth!

descarado:


They are buying kidney very cheap here through black market.
No be naija where human parts are sold in some particular market.
Who will expose them?

As selling off to foreign countries is becoming harder, they have to come home

We will revisit this story in the future
Welcome to Nigeria.

You have a point
The Ekweremadu saga comes to mind

TimeManager:

Are you forgetting that some people travel abroad to willing sell their Kidneys. Why would they have t shoulder the burdens of coming down to Nigeria to buy a kidney when some Nigerians themselves supply them abroad cheaply?. Have you quickly forgotten what got Ekweremadu into jail abroad?. You can't take away this glory from Nigeria, our medical centers are gradually being on high demand by foreigners.


-Kiss the truth!

Mr Enu gbe international... na live transformer you suppose dey kiss. Mugu promax.

TimeManager:

According to your jaundiced education, "private visit" means "visit for kidney treatment" ?. Always take your medications before coming on Nairaland.


-Kiss the truth!

Stop kissing ass

Take your own words for it and kiss the truth

Meanwhile Tinubu and other top government officials are going abroad for healthcare tourism in cosy foreign hospitals. Is the hospital in question a government facility? If no, then no need glorifying idiocy.

TimeManager:
This was how it used to be in the past, when foreigners come to Nigeria for medical treatment. We are gradually restoring the lost glory.
May God bless President Tinubu, May God bless Nigeria.


-Kiss the truth!

What is the ratio of this compared to those still going out, including tinubu himself. If you want to restore the glory, buhari should have built good hospitals in eight years and tinubu and all government officials should stop going abroad for treatment. Until that is done, I won't celebrate mediocrity.

Because they can easily get black market kidney, something that's almost impossible in the US

Alright

Abeg what's the big deal. It's cheaper here and moreover, dey could be able to source for organs here quickly without must scrutinity like in the west.

No wonder we have got more missing people recently than ever

Hmm I don't have any thing to say but the picture below depicts my position on the matter

Okay
I'm available for sperm donor

Ojuntana:
And Tinubu is in on a private visit

Nigerian medical professionals are really trying but we have useless people in govt sabotaging their efforts by using scarce forex to embark on medical tourism

Racoon:
Meanwhile Tinubu and other top government officials are going abroad for healthcare tourism in cosy foreign hospitals

History555:
Yet tinubu dey dey enjoy Fantastic health care

tishbite43:
Tinubu is in enjoying his medical tourism
A so-called medical doctor used YouTube video to murder a woman and her unborn child
You must be very stupid

Na dem, bitter people, always kicking at any positive news. Where are your proofs that Tinubu is in for medical tourism?. Even if he went for medical tourism, he is well within his rights, just like every other person who has the right to seek medical treatment anywhere they wish. Including Peter Obi who also travel to the UK for medical treatment.

You cannot pay for kidney abroad and the waiting lost for black people is long. Make una dey talk true

Clap for Jesus
Clap for Jesus

APC is a total failure, it's clear Nigerians are planning to rebel against the the Chicago gangs They've resorted to cheap propaganda.

E go clear for their eyes 👁️

Mtchw ......

Omo! No wonder people be Missing everyday! Dem harvesting Kidneys and selling to Oyibos

What an achievement.......

Private hospital..until our government hospitals are developed to that state, it's not uhuru yet

Medical procedures are highly prohibitive in US.

descarado:


They are buying kidney very cheap here through black market.
No be naija where human parts are sold in some particular market.
Who will expose them?

As selling off to foreign countries is becoming harder, they have to come home

We will revisit this story in the future
Welcome to Nigeria.

Abeg forget talk, Igbo boys are selling their Kidneys for big bucks in Asia. You dey whine?

See wetin VP of the most populous black nation dey take brag.

Why your principal no do him knee surgery for one of the world class hospitals he built while he was governor of Lagos state?

He also leaves LASUTH to go to for check ups.