A leading Nigerian doctor has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of reneging on a promise to end “medical tourism” by seeking treatment in the UK.
Nigerians spent $1bn (£690m) on foreign medical trips in 2013, most of which was unnecessary, said Dr Osahon Enabulele.
Nigerian politicians were mostly treated by Nigerian doctors in the UK, he added.
Mr Buhari flew to London to be treated for an ear infection. It is unclear where the 74-year-old would be treated for what his office described as a “persistent” infection.
Dr Enabulele, vice-president of the Commonwealth Medical Association, said it was a “national shame” that Mr Buhari 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.
Mr Buhari should lead by example by using Nigerian doctors and facilities, and ensure government officials do not go abroad on “frivolous” medical trips, he added.
The UK had more than 3,000 Nigerian-trained doctors, and the US more than 5,000, Dr Enabule said, accusing the government of failing to address the brain drain by improving working conditions and health centres.
Mr Buhari, in a speech delivered on his behalf to the Nigeria Medical Association in last April, said the government’s hard-earned cash would not be spent on treating officials overseas, especially when Nigeria had the expertise.
Nigeria is one of Africa’s biggest oil producers but most of its citizens live in poverty.
Mr Buhari took office almost two years ago on a promise to tackle corruption and waste.
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has added its voice to those calling on government to invest in infrastructure in the country in order to boost tourism in Nigeria.
The medical association added some unflattering statistics to the discourse to drive home its point, stating that Nigeria loses nothing less than N250 billion annually to medical tourism.
With trips to such destinations as India and UAE for medical solutions, now common place in Nigeria, the NMA has urged the government to upgrade medical facilities in the country’s tertiary institutions and replace obsolete equipment with modern ones to stem the tide.
It could be recalled that Buhari was a Governor, Head of State and now a President, but could not build a single hospital, even in his village .
Meanwhile , Senator representing Abia North Senatorial District in the National
Assembly, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, has said the treatment of President
Muhammadu Buhari abroad is detrimental to the development of the health sector in the country.
Ohuabunwa who spoke during debate on the 2017 budget on Wednesday, argued
that rather than embark on medical tourism to foreign countries, the
Federal Government should budget more funds for the health sector.
Senator Ohuabunwa advised: “A lot is being expected of us as Senators. We
are leaving our country to go on medical vacation. These countries we go to have spent so much to put their health sector in place. Unfortunately, what we have for the health sector is a far cry from what it should be.
“It is not about allocating. What about implementation? What is the level of implementation of the 2016 budget? We need to emphasize the issue of
budget implementation before we approve the 2017 budget. The government should be talking about creating entrepreneurship centres in all the 774 local government areas in the country if we want to create jobs.”
