Buhari’s needless medical tourism

When the news broke penultimate week that President Muhammadu Buhari would be seeking medical attention in the United Kingdom over what his media aide, Femi Adesina, called “a persistent ear infection,” many Nigerians were not amused.
The reason is simple. Both in his first incarnation as military head of state and now as a democratically elected president, Buhari has been perceived as someone that has no sympathy for such indulgencies unless where absolutely necessary, particularly if the bill was to be footed by the state on behalf of public officials.
And ear infection, whether persistent or not, cannot be categorised as one of those life-threatening ailments that cannot be handled by medical doctors at home.
So, when Dr. Osahon Enabulele, vice president of the Commonwealth Medical Association (CMA), said it was a “national shame” that 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, his position resonated well, even when some people may consider his characterisation of the president’s action as harsh.
The major quarrel is not just that by travelling to the UK to treat ear infection, the president has reneged on a promise to end “medical tourism”, which is becoming routine, but by so doing, he is wittingly or unwittingly passing a vote of no confidence in Nigeria’s healthcare delivery.
When the fact that Nigerians spent $1 billion (£690 million) on foreign medical trips in 2013 alone is thrown into the mix, then the gravity of the situation becomes more palpable.
In a speech to the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) in April, Buhari said the government’s hard-earned cash would not be spent on treating government officials overseas, especially in cases where Nigeria had the expertise.
It is therefore inexplicable that the same president would, barely one month after, go contrary to his own prescription.
Many Nigerians believe strongly that Buhari should lead by example by using Nigerian doctors and facilities, and ensure government officials do same.
This is more so because of the fact that many of the medical doctors abroad are Nigerians. For instance, it is estimated that the UK alone has more than 3,000 Nigerian-trained doctors, while there are well over 5,000 of them in the United States.
What is needed to resuscitate the country’s comatose health sector is not to fritter away scarce resources in foreign lands all in the name of frivolous medical tourism but for the government to be pro-active in addressing the brain drain responsible for this hemorrhage.
This will include improving the working conditions and creating the enabling environment that will convince those abroad to come back home.
There is need, therefore, to create specialised laboratories for research and diagnosis in viral haemorrhagic fevers in each geo-political zone to enable the country nip in the bud life threatening diseases before they go viral.
In any self-respecting country in the world, three things are very critical: health, shelter and clothing. These are modules we should also emulate to complement the change slogan.
But, most importantly, the health of a president of a country is a national security issue. That is why no country conscious of its national security allows its number one citizen to be exposed to the risk of outsiders catering to his health needs.
If Buhari makes it a point of duty to get treated locally, he will discourage medical tourism and save the nation scarce foreign exchange.
That is the way to go and we say no to this frivolous medical trip.