TheCable

President Muhammadu Buhari says Nigeria can no longer afford to see its citizens travel abroad for medical treatment because of the state of the hospitals in the country.

According to PUNCH, the president said this while inaugurating projects at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi state, on Friday.

Buhari, who was represented by Ogbonnaya Onu, minister of science and technology, reportedly said the frequent medical trips abroad is not beneficial to the country, adding that it must end.

“Nigerians have suffered so much going abroad for medical treatment. This is not good for us and it must stop because we can’t afford it again,” he said.

He said the project was necessary to bring relief to members of the state and enhance the health condition of those in the south-east region.

The president said his administration is committed to the development of every part of the country.

“We have paid very serious attention to the health of our people and will continue to do so. The projects you celebrate their completion today were seriously affecting the workings of this teaching hospital,” he said.

“But today, we can say their completion have started helping to improve on the performance and welfare of both the staff and patients of this hospital.

“I wish to use this medium to congratulate the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, and his team in the Ecological Fund Office; the project contractor, Messrs Amayaro Nigeria Limited, as well as the project consultant, Messrs Kanode and Associates Limited, for their commitment to ensuring timely and speedy completion of the project.”

The president, who has been criticised for seeking medical treatment abroad, spent over 150 days treating an undisclosed ailment in London in 2017.