Benin Medical Care: Discouraging medical tourism through quality services

Beyond its mission and vision in empowering people and providing relief from poverty through the provision of loans to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME), the Lift Above Poverty Organisation (LAPO), one of the leading microfinance banking institution in Africa, is blazing the trail in the fight against poor healthcare delivery services, providing quality diagnostic services and creating access to excellent medical services to Nigerians.

While health intervention service is one of the three-legged stand of LAPO’s programs, others are social empowerment and economic development. The organization’s persistent contributions to bridging the gap for access to quality healthcare services, as well as improving the living conditions of Nigerians birthed the Benin Medical Care (BMC) Hospital and Diagnostic Centre in Benin City.

The Benin Medical Care, which has over 60-bedded capacity, was inaugurated in November, 2019 with a mission to address health challenges of Nigerians through cutting edge technology and patient-centric approaches. It is a world class healthcare facility sited in the heart of Benin city and centred on improving patients’ outcome by providing various healthcare needs for pregnant women, new-borns and aged persons.

The Benin Medical Care has been established to address cases of preventable deaths arising from inadequate medical care, reduce the gap in healthcare services provision

Over the years, there had been complaints about inadequate equipment and quality of health services provided in rural areas, especially primary healthcare centres as well as medical facilities in urban areas. The situation has further enhanced the yearnings of the elites to seek medical treatments abroad leaving behind the common man – who cannot afford better healthcare – to cope with inferior medical services in their terrain.

Interestingly, the Benin Medical Care has been established to address cases of preventable deaths arising from inadequate medical care, reduce the gap in healthcare services provision between the wealthy and low-income individuals – and, consequently – discourage medical tourism by providing access to modern medical diagnostics and solutions.

“Benin Medical Care is a multi-specialist entity envisaged to be a centre of excellence in medical care in the region. BMC shall in conjunction with LAPO-NGO, run community health outreach programmes. Major components of the programme shall include rural mobile clinics which shall provide opportunities for rural dwellers to have access to basic medical services.

“Mobile phone health services shall enable patients in remote communities to be reached with basic medical services through digital channels and community-based health insurance scheme through which cost of access to health services will be lowered for needy individuals.

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“BMC diagnostics, which is a well-resourced entity, is to provide excellent diagnostic services, state–of–the–art facilities such as 1-5T MRI, 64 slice CT Scan, digital mammography, ultrasound scan, digital X-rays, Electrocardiogram (ECG) as well as fluoroscopy, and fully automated laboratory services”, Godwin Ehigiamusoe, chairman, Board of Directors, BMC, said during the inauguration of the hospital.

Among the specialist services offered at the medical facility are family medicine, paediatrics, oncology, cardiology, general surgery, nephrology, ophthalmology, dental services, obstetrics and gynaecology, geriatrics, eye care, laboratory services, medical imaging and many others.

With its ultramodern equipment and fully automated laboratory, the hospital has an impeccable turnaround time for test results. In addition, it provides round-the-clock emergency services and has experienced surgeons capable of carrying out various types of surgical procedures to address a broad range of health problems.

Besides its enviable edifice, excellent customer services and sophisticated medical equipment within the facility, it has a unique feature called the “Diaspora Loved Ones Care package”. This initiative, which comprises different categories, is designed to enable Nigerians in the diaspora and those living outside Benin City to provide quality healthcare to their loved ones at home.