Vice President Yemi Osinbajo
Medical tourism: NMA takes dig at Buhari, hails Osinbajo for patronising local healthcare
Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), in Kogi State has hailed Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, for undergoing medical treatment locally, just as it called the act a display of ‘great patriotism and should be applauded.’
It would be recalled that VP Osinbajo, Saturday, underwent a successful surgery for a leg fracture at Duchess International Hospital in Ikeja, Lagos.
The choice of a local health facility by VP Osinbajo comes on the heels of the penchant by President Muhammadu Buhari to patronize the medical facilities of the United Kingdom, as well as, other leaders in the country who have made frequent trips abroad seeking medical attention.
Reacting to Osinbajo’s choice of local health facilities to treat an ailment, the NMA Kogi, in a joint statement signed by its Chairman, Dr Abubakar Alhassan and Secretary, Dr Chimezie Odebuani, issued, Sunday in Lokoja, commended Osinbajo for his great leadership, saying he deserved an award.
“The attention of the Kogi State Chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has been drawn to the successful treatment of the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, by a team of Nigerian doctors in a Nigerian hospital following an injury he sustained while playing squash.
“NMA Kogi commends this great leadership style of the Vice President, and is deserving of the award. The Vice President has acted like the late Mandela.
“The highly cerebral Vice President didn’t resort to flying out of the country to Berlin, Paris, or any of the advanced countries of Europe or America for medical tourism.
“The VP chose to seek medical attention within the country even with the avalanche of resources at his disposal which would have enabled him to seek attention outside the shores of Nigeria.
“NMA Kogi sees this display by the Vice President as great patriotism and should be applauded,” the association said.
The NMA also noted that the former Governor of Kogi, Idris Wada, similarly chose to seek medical attention at home following his involvement in a ghastly road traffic accident as a governor.
The association, therefore, implored Nigerian leaders to take a cue from the vice president and believe in the nation’s health institutions and its professionals who were among the best trained in the world.
The association enjoined the government to fund medicare development in Nigeria better and also develop hospitals to standards for health care delivery of the highest standards.
Speaking on Osinbajo’s decision, the founder of the Reddington Hospital who is also one of the doctors coordinating the surgery, Dr. Yemi Onabowale, said ‘the VP was clear that he had confidence in Nigerian doctors both at home and abroad and would prefer they handle the operation.’
According to Onabowale, Osinbajo’s preference to have the surgery done in Nigeria is also being regarded as a major boost for the government’s oft-stated objective of a reversed medical tourism as some voices in the healthcare sector have expressed excitement at the VP’s choice.
He further argued that undergoing the operation locally would not only encourage Nigerian doctors who, he said, are among the best anywhere in the world, but it would also help develop the capacity here in Nigeria and further build on the medical infrastructure in the country.
