Lagos based international health and hospitality brands- Duchess International Hospital and The Lagos Marriot Hotel  have come together to pioneer the first ever three-day comprehensive medical screening and disease prevention services in Nigeria. Known as the Duchess Royal Medical Check Up, it is a premium executive health check programme aimed at promoting affordable access to health and preventing the onset of chronic diseases.

Speaking at the launch of the programme in Lagos at the weekend, Dr. Adetokunbo  Shitta-Bey, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Duchess International Hospital said: “Nigerians travel all over the world to countries such as Germany, the United States and major cities such as Dubai in search of comprehensive health screening, disease prevention services and treatments for a variety of long-term (chronic) diseases, all of which we now offer exclusively at the Duchess International Hospital. The hospital’s mission is to reverse medical tourism by delivering the highest standards of care, using the most advanced technology and treatments to give our clients the fastest, most convenient access to the best medical expertise available anywhere in the world.”

According to Dr.Shitta-Bey, the Duchess Royal Check-up programme comprises of a three-day American/European-style full-body medical assessment and complete clinical evaluation focused on early detection of disease and prevention of long-term ill health in both men and women. “It uses the most advanced testing technology and specialised medical expertise to deliver the best clinical outcomes on behalf of our clients based on their lifestyle, age and complete medical history,” he said.

Dr. Shitta-Bey explained that the Royal Medical check-up screening program is very affordable with the basic ones starting from N50,000 while cost for hgh end screening is based on peculiar medical needs and budget. “This is a wellness and lifestyle screening, people don’t have to be sick before coming for screening,” he said.

The Duchess Royal Medical Check Up which is delivered in collaboration with the Lagos Marriott Hotel “is carefully designed to address the needs and circumstances of individuals and busy executives residing in metropolitan cities across Nigeria and West Africa. It provides a high level of service comparable to standards observed in tourist destinations such as Dubai, Europe and the United States, and offers the significant economic advantage of conserving much needed foreign exchange,” says Mr.Chike Ogeah, Managing Dirctor, Mac-Folly Hospitality Limited, owners of Lagos Marriot Hotel. According to him, providence has brought the two brands together as they are sited few metres from each other on Joel Ogunnaike , GRA, Ikeja hence the synergy to give Nigerians the best of services from the two organisations.

Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr.Obafemi Hamzat, who was special guest at the launch said that Nigerians spend an average of $1 billion (one billion US dollars) annually on medical tourism for a range of health care needs. He said with the facilities at Duchess International Hospital, Nigerians don’t need to waste scares foreign exchange in to go for diagnosis or treatment abroad as the hospital is well equipped and staffed with medical experts in different fields to meet whatever health challenges they may have.