By Cross Udo, Abuja
The Organisation of Trade Union Organisations of West Africa (OTUWA) has raised the alarm over the deepening crisis posed by the unchecked rise of medical tourism in West Africa, saying that it directly contributes to the structural poverty and inequality that undermine the societies.
Consequently, OTUWA said it will launch a regional campaign against political medical tourism with the slogan “Our leaders must use our hospitals.”
This was a resolution at a research dissemination workshop organised by OTUWA with support from the Solidarity Centre.
The meeting, which brought together over thirty trade union leaders and activists from the West Africa region, noted how medical tourism disproportionately benefits elites while diverting resources that could strengthen local health systems. Health workers are demoralised by poor investment in domestic healthcare, leading to brain drain.
Trade unions, therefore, reminded of their critical role in demanding public investment in health, transparency, and accountability, resolved to embark on the campaign.
In his opening remark, the Executive Secretary of OTUWA, Comrade John Odah, drew urgent attention to the deepening crisis posed by the unchecked rise of medical tourism in West Africa.
Odah said, “Medical tourism, as currently practised, is not merely a symptom of failing health systems; it is a direct contributor to the structural poverty and inequality that undermine our societies.
“When public officials and elites routinely bypass domestic health facilities in favour of treatment abroad, they abandon their responsibility to invest in and improve the healthcare services that ordinary citizens depend upon.”
“This two-tiered system of health access is unjust and dangerous. It entrenches inequality by ensuring that quality care remains a privilege for the few while the majority struggle with underfunded, overstretched local hospitals.
“In essence, it creates a healthcare apartheid, one that contradicts the principles of social justice and equal opportunity that we, as trade unions, uphold.
“Moreover, the unchecked diversion of public resources, whether financial, administrative, or human capital, toward private overseas medical travel erodes trust in democratic governance. It signals a lack of accountability and widens the gap between elected leaders and those they serve.
“Democracy cannot thrive when leaders do not rely on the same public services as their constituents,” Odah asserted.
He said, “We must challenge the culture that normalises medical tourism among political and economic elites. OTUWA calls for immediate reforms that lead to transparent health budgeting and public investment in domestic healthcare infrastructure, Regulation and reporting of government-funded overseas medical travel, and Inclusive health policies that prioritise access and dignity for all citizens.”
“Healthcare is not a commodity reserved for the wealthy alone. It is a fundamental human right. Suppose we are to combat poverty, reduce inequality, and preserve democracy in West Africa. In that case, we must end the double standard in healthcare and demand systems that serve the many, not just the few.”
The Solidarity Centre Country Programme Director for West Africa, Deddeh Tulay, through its Senior Programme Officer, Gabin Ralph, pledged the Centre’s continuous support of trade union campaigns on health and democracy in the region.
