Kelina Hospital Reverses Medical Tourism with Advanced Urology in Nigeria

Kelina Hospital is emerging as a pivotal healthcare destination, significantly reversing the trend of medical tourism from Nigeria by offering advanced urological care that rivals international standards in Europe and North America. The institution achieved a national record in 2025 by performing 212 prostate surgeries, the highest volume for any single hospital in Nigeria within a year. This was followed by another remarkable milestone in January 2026: completing 101 prostate cancer surgeries over two years without any patient mortality, a feat considered unprecedented in the country.

Addressing the media, Dr. Celsus Ukelina Undie, the Medical Director and Chief Executive Officer, highlighted that these outcomes demonstrate the availability of world-class care within Nigeria, negating the need for patients to seek complex cancer treatments abroad.

"Two hundred prostate surgeries in one year are worth celebrating. One hundred prostate cancer surgeries in two years with no mortality are also worth celebrating. These outcomes show that world-class care is possible in Nigeria," Undie stated.

He emphasized the critical role of early detection in achieving a cure, noting that once cancer metastasizes, treatment shifts from curative to palliative.

Kelina Hospital now provides the full spectrum of internationally recognized radical prostatectomy options—open, laparoscopic, and robotic surgery—positioning it among a select few African centers with such comprehensive capabilities. Robotic-assisted surgery, known for its precision, is now the routine approach for most patients.

Pioneering Advanced Prostate Procedures

The hospital is also transforming the management of benign prostate enlargement through Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate (HoLEP), widely considered the global benchmark. Kelina became Nigeria’s inaugural HoLEP center in 2018 and has since performed over 600 procedures with a mortality rate below 0.2 percent, a figure comparable to leading international institutions.

Overall, Kelina has conducted more than 6,000 surgeries across various specialties, maintaining a mortality rate below one percent, which is significantly lower than the 3.2 to 6 percent range reported by the United States National Institutes of Health. More than half of all urology patients are discharged within 24 hours, a testament to the hospital's focus on minimally invasive procedures and state-of-the-art sterilization technologies, including plasma sterilization.

Dr. Undie attributed these successful outcomes to robust teamwork, stringent safety protocols, and the contributions of both expatriate and diaspora experts, alongside regulatory support from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria. He noted that the hospital's high-volume, technology-driven approach is actively discouraging patient travel for healthcare abroad, thereby helping to conserve foreign exchange.

"Some of our patients can afford treatment anywhere in the world, yet they choose to come here. That confidence tells us we are changing the narrative," Undie affirmed.

Expert Perspectives and Future Outlook

Consultant physicians Dr. Nedosa Kenechi and Dr. Aklilu Getchew underscored that Kelina’s results are a product of early patient presentation, modern technological integration, and a collaborative multidisciplinary approach. Dr. Kenechi highlighted the importance of early hospital visits.

"Minimally invasive surgery reduces trauma, shortens recovery time and removes many of the fears people have about surgery," Kenechi explained, adding that options like sperm banking and assisted reproduction can help preserve fertility and sexual function.

Dr. Getchew elaborated on prostate cancer's genetic and environmental influences, observing its higher prevalence among men of African descent, while stressing the impact of lifestyle choices on disease progression. He advocated for nationwide prostate cancer screening for men aged 45 and above, asserting that increased screening would facilitate earlier intervention and access to advanced treatments, including robotic surgery, yielding outcomes equivalent to top global centers.

Kelina Hospital plans to extend its minimally invasive surgery program to general surgery, gynaecology, paediatrics, ENT, and orthopaedics, while also strengthening partnerships with NGOs to support indigent patients.

Bottom Line

Kelina Hospital's achievements signify a transformative shift in Nigeria's healthcare landscape, establishing the nation as a credible healthcare destination for complex urological procedures. Key takeaways include:
1. Demonstrated capacity for high-volume, advanced surgical care with outcomes comparable to leading global centers.
2. Significant reduction in patient travel abroad for specialized treatments, boosting local healthcare infrastructure and conserving foreign exchange.
3. Commitment to cutting-edge technology, multidisciplinary expertise, and patient-centric care, enhancing the quality of care available domestically.
4. Advocacy for early screening and government support to further solidify Nigeria’s position in the international patients market.

Read the full article here: https://theeagleonline.com.ng/untold-ways-kelina-hospital-is-reversing-medical-tourism-with-world-class-urology-care/