President Muhammadu Buhari’s return to the country from the United Kingdom last Friday, where he had gone on a 49-day medical vacation, brought some relief to a lot of Nigerians. After weeks of uncertainty about his state of health, leading to speculations and many unsavoury comments about his continued absence, his return expectedly doused the heightening tension in the land.
However, in his first address to members of the Federal Executive Council, service chiefs, aides, and by extension, Nigerians, who had eagerly awaited his return, President Buhari almost confirmed the people’s worst fears.
He announced to the gathering that, contrary to the notion of being in good health that had been passed to Nigerians by his media aides, he had been very ill. By the same stroke, he hinted of his impending return to London in no long a time for another round of medical attention.
This, in the least, left many Nigerians confused. The President had since Monday, March 13 resumed duties in his official capacity. But by his admission, he is soon to jet out for another regime with the medics in the UK.
While the nature of his ailment remains shrouded in secrecy, and while it is difficult to ascertain his level of recovery and return to good health, many observers have expressed concerns about the impending trip.
The concerns arise from the quantum of resources being expended from the national till on the medical trips to the UK at the president’s individual level, and by extension, the amount expended in keeping his retinue of aides and family members around him while over there.
This, of course, is aside from the additional expenses, also drawn from the national purse by government officials at different levels, who, periodically, may pay the president courtesy visits.
President Buhari must begin to take seriously the issue of universal health coverage across the entire country. This… will guarantee access—both physical and financial—to basic healthcare for all Nigerians, particularly the poor, who cannot afford to pay out of pocket to get a malaria or HIV test, much less travel abroad to treat ‘catarrh’
Analysts have expressed the belief that President Buhari’s recurring travels on medical grounds contrast sharply, and is indeed, a flagrant disregard for one of his campaign promises – to put an end to medical tourism.
Recall that the President, on assumption of office in 2015, had promised to stop medical tourism in the country and, in particular, improve facilities in health institutions.
In April 2016, the President, in an address to the Nigeria Medical Association, reiterated that the government’s hard-earned money would not be spent on treating officials overseas, especially when Nigeria had the expertise.
However, Buhari, who frowned at public office holders using public funds to travel abroad on health ground, has continued to visit hospitals abroad for medical attention – even for an ailment as minor as an ear infection.
In defending his principal’s frequent travels, the Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina said, “You have what is called medical history where you consult people who are used to you, and your health.
Before he became president, he was using those people, so it stands to reason that the same people continue to attend to him.” But observers have noted that the explanation from the Presidency cannot justify the president’s penchant for seeking medicare abroad.
They queried the rationale against the background of the millions of naira budgeted for hospital/health facilities in Aso Rock and the high number of skilled medical personnel available in the country.
According to statistics from the NMA, in 2013 alone, Nigerians spent about $1bn on foreign medical trips. Most of the trips, in Dr Osahon Enabulele’s view, were unnecessary.
Enabulele, a vice-president of the Commonwealth Medical Association, while speaking on the trip President Buhari made in June 2016 to treat an ear infection in the UK, said it was a “national shame” that the president went to the UK for treatment when Nigeria had more than 250 ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists, as well as a National Ear Centre.
He called on the president to lead by example by using Nigerian doctors and facilities, and ensure government officials do not go abroad on “frivolous” medical trips.
He stressed that with more than 3,000 Nigerian-trained doctors in the UK and more than 5,000 in the US, it had also become pertinent that government addressed the brain drain in the health sector by improving working conditions and facilities at health centres.
It is our view, that in consonance with the stance of stakeholders and pressure groups in the health and development circles, President Buhari must begin to take seriously the issue of universal health coverage across the entire country.
This, according to experts, will guarantee access—both physical and financial—to basic healthcare for all Nigerians, particularly the poor, who cannot afford to pay out of pocket to get a malaria or HIV test, much less travel abroad to treat ‘catarrh’.
For instance, we believe that the implementation of the National Health Act, which was enacted in 2014, would be a step in the right direction. Weak health coverage, it is says, often most impacts the poor and vulnerable.
Taking conscious steps to implement the NHA would not only cushion the harsh effects of a comatose health sector on poor Nigerians who have virtually no access to health services, it may yet kick-start a medical revolution by facilitating primary health care and universal health coverage for all Nigerians. When Nigerians are healthy, Nigeria will be wealthy. And a healthy and prosperous Nigeria is certainly one of President Buhari’s dreams.
