It may no longer appear as a surprise to keen political watchers that many Nigerian political office holders attend to thier medical needs abroad than they do in Nigeria hospitals. It is quite disturbing to observe that for even for some common illnesses such as headache and common cold, these egocentric politicians do fly abroad to treat them rather than visit their doctors on Nigerian soil. A former governor of a state was even touted for having boasted of building a world class hospital facility in his state, only to check out to have himself treated abroad when he had a road traffic accident in Abuja. One had therefore wondered what a man would want to spend scarce foreign exchange that would have been channeled to improving the lots of his people on medical tourism, moreso when such a man had laid claim to building a hospital facility capable of holding its own anywhere in the world. What is actually the rationale behind this?
Well, the reason for these shenanigans may not be far fetched. Our politicians have no confidence in the Nigeria health care facilities. While the elected officials have had enormous resources or at least in a good stead to turn the health care narrative around in their respective domains, most of them have done almost nothing to improve the health care trajectories in their respective states.
It is not really amusing to recall an instance where a Nigerian first lady accused a government house clinic of lacking ordinary paracetamol, but was quick to observe that over a billion naira was yearly allocated to the same State House clinic for it’s upkeep and smooth running but has nothing to show for the humongous budget. In the heat of COVID-19 in 2020 year, a sitting governor in Nigeria went to Germany to treat corona virus but was assuring his people before then that they have the best facility to fight the virus in his state. If his claim was true then, why did he not show leadership by visiting the facility in his state, but was quick to jet out of the country. Not even a single hospital in the entire country is considered good enough for his treatment.
One may easily recall another unfortunate incident in which a former sitting governor of Enugu state has to spend over five months in a London hospital while he has a teaching hospital owned and managed by his state.
It is an incontrovertible fact that successive leaders in Nigeria have continued to tour abroad for medical checks and treatment as if it is going out of fashion. The current Nigerian President is on record to have traveled abroad for over six times out of the six years he has spent in office as President for medical attention while the country can boast of over 12 teaching hospitals and hordes of other health facilities including the Aso Rock Clinic. A one time governor in one of the South South state was also mocked in the past for constantly spending over 3 months on yearly basis on medical tourism abroad while he has not cared enough for health facilities in his state. Yet another former commissioner for finance in a nearby state few years back took his daughter to America for a surgery that could have easily been done here in Nigeria. He reasons are that Nigerian medics lack professionalism and swim in negligence over their duties. So many other cases could be sited which has had massive financial consequences on the already bad economy of the Nigerian nation in general and the states in particular. The amount of money spent abroad on medics is believed to be enough to take care of improving the lots of Nigerian health sector.
The question is why has Gov Ugwuanyi not embarked on a single medical treatment abroad just like his contemporaries? Does it mean that he does not fall sick, don’t know anywhere to go or do not have the resources to do that?
The truth is that he is human and do fall sick at times. He goes to the hospital as well. The difference is that he has absolute confidence in medical personnels and medical facilities in the state. He is proud of what Nigerian doctors can offer and whole heartedly patronize them. He has equipped medical facilities in the state to be able to take good care of both the big and small. He had equipped some old hospitals and had built new ones as well.
Health workers in Enugu State are not complaining of being maltreated or abandoned. They are well taken care of. Medical facilities in Enugu State are receiving adequate attention and that is why the governor have continued to patronize them whenever him or any member of his family falls sick. Enugu has become medical destination for many people in Nigeria.
Gov Ugwuanyi knows that health is prime and paramount and have taken it very serious. Government House clinic is well equipped to take care of any emergency and they have been doing well under Gov Ugwuanyi.
Gov Ugwuanyi knows that medical tourism is capital flight and exportation of jobs. He knows that the life of even the least person in the state matters most and have made provision for everyone. He has not embarked on medical tourism and do not wish to embark on any till the end of his tenor. We are proud of this and is not ashamed to say that Enugu State is in the hand of God.
Bibian Anekwe News added – “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower”.
Written by
Leonard Ugwu
A Political Analyst
Media team member of Enugu di n’akachukwu movement
