In the 1960s, Nigeria’s healthcare system stood as a regional benchmark. Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) was the destination for complex surgeries, and Ibadan’s University College Hospital drew medical tourists from across West Africa. A senior health professional, Dr Bode Karunwi, whom I interviewed recently, recalled those years with nostalgia. “We trained the best doctors on the continent,” he said. “Our hospitals were well-equipped and respected. We didn’t talk about medical tourism; Nigeria was the destination.”
In the 1960s, Nigeria’s healthcare system stood as a regional benchmark. Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) was the destination for complex surgeries, and Ibadan’s University College Hospital drew medical tourists from across West Africa. A senior health professional, Dr Bode Karunwi, whom I interviewed recently, recalled those years with nostalgia. “We trained the best doctors on the continent,” he said. “Our hospitals were well-equipped and respected. We didn’t talk about medical tourism; Nigeria was the destination.”