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Saudi-German hospital plans investment in Nigeria
2004-12-01

The healthcare system in Nigeria may receive a boost if the federal government grants permission to a Saudi based group, Saudi- German hospitals, to establish in the country.
A bout 300 million dollars will be spent to establish the hospitals in Lagos, Abuja and Kano.
The chief operating officer of Saudi- German hospitals, Samir Shaker, said that Nigeria deserves such an investment after a survey which showed that Nigeria’s healthcare system was poor leading to an influx of Nigerian patient to Saudi Arabia for treatment.
We sent our surveyors about four years ago to study this country and we found out that healthcare services still need attention in Nigeria. When there is a heart attack or complicated case, where will it be treated?
It’s very difficult; specially those who can’t afford to pay the money. We feel that we have hospitals- located in Nigeria and up to standard, he said.
He added that Nigeria’s leadership role in Africa, its population and massive land space also informed their decision to invest in the country.
He said that their mission in Nigeria was to highlight the activities of the hospitals in Medina which receives about 65,000 Nigerian patients annually and highlight its zonal activities in Nigeria for the benefit of the people.
Shaker added that the 300 bed capacity state-of-the-art- hospital, will take three years to build by a German company, but stated that his group will be embarking on other projects to lift the face of the healthcare system before completion.
The delegation is currently visiting hospitals in Kano, Kaduna, Abuja and Lagos.
He stated that his group is establishing relationship with hospitals to cater for the meantime: patients who can afford to travel to Saudi Arabia to complete treatment on very complicated cases, we will issue a visa for them, that is a medical treatment visa or they can come on their own just to have an approach to the Medina hospital. We will receive the patients there. We have a specialized team specially to receive Nigerians only, he said.
For those who can’t afford to go to Saudi Arabia, he said, When people go to the hospital usually, and when the doctors there feel that the case is complicated, very difficult to reach accurate diagnosis, they can consult us over the phone or fax to seek second opinion on those patients and we can tell them whether the patients can be treated here or in Saudi Arabia.
He revealed further that if the doctor decides to treat the patient in Nigeria, they will send one of their 160 consultants and professors working around the world to help patient of complicated health problems.
He further disclosed that these services which will be provided very soon is almost free where they will take about 40 percent of the cost and any other organization, including the government footing the rest of the bill.
Shaker said that the federal government has endorsed the programme but added that the agreement would need to be formalized. Other thing Nigerian will benefit from the proposed hospital according to Shaker, was that 500 jobs will be created for medical personnel, saying that medical personnel from some selected hospitals will also undergo training in Saudi Arabia.
Responding on behalf of the managing director, the Group News Editor Suleiman Mohamed, commended their plans to contribute to the Nigerian healthcare delivery services.
Saudi German hospitals which started in 1988 is positioned to design, finance, construct and operate 30 world class hospitals and create 50,000 jobs in the healthcare industry by the year 2015.

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