Just five years after it opened its doors to the first patient, one of the missions of establishing the Duchess International Hospital Ikeja- to reverse medical tourism- is being realized as more Nigerians in the Diaspora are choosing to come back home, trusting Duchess Hospital to perform complex surgeries, thereby saving time of being on the waiting list abroad, reducing cost of such surgeries by over 50 per cent and have the benefit of being surrounded by family and friends in Nigeria during the period of recovery. This is in addition to numerous Nigerians who are having their healthcare needs met at Duchess International Hospital instead of traveling to India, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Kingdom or any other country to have world-class healthcare.

Speaking at the event in Ikeja, Lagos, to mark the fifth anniversary of Duchess Hospital, Dr. Olajide Ojo, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the hospital said the theme of the anniversary: “Five years of delivering world-class healthcare: Transforming medicine through innovation and excellence” encapsulates the giant milestones the hospital has attained in the last five years. Dr. Ojo said that the hospital had provided care to an estimated 40,000 out-patients annually, delivered 500 babies and performed 2,053 paediatric and adult surgical procedures with about 65 per cent being major and complex operations like spinal surgeries.

He said the hospital has performed successful 44 open heart surgeries comprising 20 Paediatric and 24 adult procedures since 2023 when the open heart surgery programme was launched. Dr.Ojo explained that the collaboration with the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) through the Duchess Waiting List Initiative helped to improve access to cardiovascular surgery for patients facing prolonged waiting periods. “These milestones tell a strategic story of a hospital committed to advancing boundaries of specialist medicine while never losing sight of the individual human being at the centre of every encounter”, Ojo said. He noted that the first five years of Duchess Hospital represents “not just the growth of an institution but the steady building of clinical capability, the strengthening of trust and the transformation of healthcare, one patient at a time”.

Chairman of Duchess International Hospital, Dr. Yemi Onabowale, said the hospital has touched lives over the past five years through its affordable healthcare programmes and corporate social responsibility initiatives. Dr. Onabowale commended the hospital’s management and staff for their dedication to quality patient care which has seen Duchess Hospital win the prestigious Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Award as the best private healthcare facility in Nigeria in 2024 and 2025. “Our future ambition is to continue to expand access to quality healthcare, strengthening specialist services, investing in our people and technology and ensuring that more Nigerians can receive advanced medical treatment at home”, Dr. Onabowale said.

Minister of State for Health, Dr. Adekunle Salako, who was one of the special guests, harped on the need to address the high exodus of medical professionals abroad (also known as japa) by creating the enabling environment for a good practice at home through establishment of modern hospitals and good remuneration package for medical personnel. Dr. Salako commended the Duchess Hospital for their medical cutting-edge facility and excellent patient care that have stood the hospital apart from its peers.

READ ALSO: Duchess Hospital named Private Tertiary Hospital of the Year at NHEA 2025

Wife of the governor of Lagos State, Dr.(Mrs) Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu who was the special guest at the event, said a strong partnership between the public and private sectors is important to expand healthcare capacity, encourage innovation and improve service delivery . She was represented at the event by the Medical Director of the General Hospital, Ebute Metta,Dr.(Mrs) Folakemi Irewole-Ojo.

The anniversary lecture was delivered by Prof. Nicholas Ossei-Gerning, a professor of cardiology, Spire Hospital, Cardiff, the United Kingdom. He spoke extensively on how to manage cardiovascular health and the major risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, stress, depression, anxiety and lack of social support. Prof. Ossei-Gerning explained that erectile dysfunction in a major marker for cardiovascular disease and advised men to go for regular checks to avoid sudden death as a result of heart failure.

The management of Duchess International Hospital expects the next five years to usher in stronger clinical capabilities, greater access to specialist care, more lives transformed, deeper social impact and renewed confidence in Nigerian healthcare.

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Duchess Hospital Marks Five Years: How They Are Bringing Nigerians Back from Medical Tourism

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