PMB, agents of death and medical tourism

Nigeria still has a long and tedious way to be a country, where both the elites and leaders rely on its medical institutions. This is the fact on ground as the elites prefer to seek medical attention outside the shores of the country. Nigeria is a country where the citizens are doing well especially in […]

Nigeria still has a long and tedious way to be a country, where both the elites and leaders rely on its medical institutions. This is the fact on ground as the elites prefer to seek medical attention outside the shores of the country.

Nigeria is a country where the citizens are doing well especially in the field of medics. But the irony is that the leaders in the country do not bother to make and equip the hospitals with the necessary equipment for the medical staff to excel in health care delivery.

Rather than do that, they choose to jet out to treat a simple headache. This brings about the recent brouhaha when the President Muhammadu Buhari, transmitted a letter to the National Assembly to proceed on a ten days leave in order to seek for medical attention in London.

This is the second time that the President Buhari is proceeding to a foreign country for medical attention, thereby negating any credence that he is a change agent.

For how long would the leaders of this country continue to doubt its medical facilities and personnel?  This is the question begging for an answer, because leaders of the countries that these elites jet out whenever something is wrong with their health do not relegate their health care delivery system. That was what makes it so efficient. This attitude by our elites is a great disservice for a country that earned its independence fifty six years ago. 

Also the lack of confidence by the President Buhari on the country’s health care system has created the situation in which agents of death would inundate the social media with rumour of his demise penultimate week.

President Buhari should begin the “change begins with me” slogan by attending hospital in Nigeria rather than always junketing to the United Kingdom to seek medical attention. The campaign for attitudinal change should be a reality with the leaders believing in the country and its health care system and not a mere rhetoric.

Usman Santuraki, Jimeta-Yola, Adamawa State.