To enhance medical services and infrastructure, Nigeria and Turkey have formed a strategic partnership. In collaboration, Memorial Hospital Turkey and Kasi Healthcare, a Nigerian healthcare organization that provides healthcare through Aviation services, will gain access to tap into the substantial global healthcare market by providing specialized support for areas like organ transplantation and heart care. Both firms will raise the standard of treatment in Nigeria by integrating state-of-the-art Technology with innovative surgical methods. The focus of this partnership is to enhance Nigeria’s healthcare Infrastructure by utilizing Turkey’s cutting-edge medical technologies, proficiency, and educational initiatives.
By utilizing Turkey’s renowned healthcare facilities, the collaboration will increase the availability of additional viewpoints and specialized medical screenings, as well as expand access to thorough assessments and alternative therapy alternatives. Under the agreement, Kasi Healthcare’s Aeromedical Unit will improve air ambulance, medical escort, and ground handling services from its Lagos airport clinic, hence improving healthcare in Nigeria. Every month, the clinic will also welcome visiting experts from Memorial Hospital who will provide expert additional viewpoints and training sessions for Nigerian healthcare professionals.
Exchanging knowledge and expertise among medical professionals.
Memorial Hospital’s country administrator, Bashir Zainab Kiata, reported that the organization employs around 1,500 doctors, comprising 70% professors, 15% associate professors, and the remaining specialists, spanning its network of 11 hospitals and four medical institutions across Turkey. According to her, the organization is accredited by the US government and operates a highly successful IVF and kidney transplant service. She contends that by working together, the partnership can lower the number of incorrect diagnoses among Nigerians and offer free consultations and additional opinions from medical professionals in a bi-monthly visit.
She added that it will entail exchanging knowledge and expertise with Nigerian medical professionals and people, providing accessible healthcare options by sending experts to Nigeria for consultations. It would also lessen the need for Nigerians to travel outside for medical care, saving the country billions of dollars annually on out-of-country medical tourism. Over the years, Nigeria and Turkey have partnered on a number of healthcare projects with the goal of enhancing Nigeria’s medical infrastructure, training, and services. Both countries signed deals in 2021, including memorandums of understanding (MoUs) centered on cooperation in the health sector.
Collaborating on public health research and capacity building.
These agreements covered the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, the provision of medical supplies, and the training of healthcare workers. Nigeria now has state-of-the-art medical equipment in Turkey to improve its hospitals and healthcare facilities. Turkish companies and groups have helped build or renovate medical facilities in a number of states, making sure they adhere to international standards. For example, FIT Healthcare Ltd collaborated with a Turkish company to construct Nigeria’s first medical city. Also, the state government of Akwa Ibom joined forces with a Turkish company to produce medical supplies and construct a clinic for the host communities.
Turkish medical institutions and Nigerian hospitals and universities have joined to train Nigerian physicians, nurses, and healthcare administrators. The improvement of specialized services, like surgery and emergency care, has been facilitated by this knowledge transfer. Together with fostering knowledge sharing and capacity building between the two nations, these collaborations have strengthened Nigeria’s healthcare capabilities. Institutions in Nigeria and Turkey have also collaborated on Public Health research, with an emphasis on infectious diseases, tuberculosis, and malaria—diseases that are common in both nations. This research partnership is aimed at advancing public health initiatives, vaccine development, and therapeutic approaches.
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Healthcare facilities in Nigeria and Turkey have launched endeavors to apply telemedicine technologies in response to the field’s expanding breakthroughs. Through these programs, patients in underprivileged areas can receive high-quality medical consultations without having to travel, as Nigerian patients can contact Turkish professionals remotely. Both countries have hosted and taken part in health summits and delegations over the years with the goal of fostering closer relations and looking into new healthcare opportunities. These cases demonstrate the increasing cooperation in the field of healthcare between Nigeria and Turkey, where both nations gain from the sharing of knowledge, technology, and medical advancements.