TETFund, Air Force Collaborate to Reduce Nigeria’s Medical Tourism

TETFund, Air Force Collaborate to Reduce Nigeria’s Medical Tourism

FELICIA ONAH, Abuja

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) have promised to work together to improve healthcare in Nigeria and reduce the need for citizens to travel abroad for medical treatment.

The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, noted this on Tuesday while receiving the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, at the TETFund headquarters in Abuja.

Echono commended the Air Force for its role in education and healthcare.

“The Nigerian Air Force, like other armed services, has played a key role in our education sector and in healthcare delivery,” Echono said. “Air Force hospitals have become go-to centers for civilian populations across the country. Beyond protecting us, they are caring for our welfare.”

He added that the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) has benefited from TETFund support, including staff housing and facilities. He said the government wants to improve teaching hospitals and medical training programs in Nigeria to cut down on medical tourism abroad.

“Our aim is to give Nigerians access to world-class healthcare at home. We also want to attract foreign students to study and train here,” Echono said.

The partnership between TETFund and the Air Force has also extended to infrastructure development, including laboratories, classrooms, accommodation blocks, and specialized facilities such as cyber security and AI research labs at AFIT.

Echono assured the Air Marshal that TETFund would continue to prioritize interventions that enhance teaching, research, and healthcare delivery across the nation.

“Our mandate includes improving the global competitiveness of our tertiary institutions and ensuring the healthcare workforce is adequately trained and equipped,” Echono said.

Speaking earlier, Air Marshal Aneke thanked TETFund for its long-standing support which has impacted positivity on the quality of education in tertiary institutions across the country.

“The Fund has helped our institutes, including AFIT and the College of Nursing, with buildings, labs, and equipment,” he said. “These investments have made AFIT one of the top aviation and technical schools in Nigeria.”

He also highlighted the importance of the Air Force College of Medical Sciences and the School of Aviation Medicine.

“Upgrading these schools will help train doctors, nurses, and other health professionals for both the military and civilians,” Aneke noted.