Former media aide to Muhammadu Buhari, Garba Shehu, has said that the late president’s regular medical trips abroad were not a rejection of Nigeria’s healthcare system.
Shehu recently revealed that it was only a matter of preference for PMB, and Nigerians have been reacting.
Speaking during an appearance on Inside Sources, a Channels Television programme, Shehu shared that Buhari remained under the care of Nigerian doctors throughout his presidency.
According to him, the president’s medical team was always available to meet his immediate health needs, and his frequent visits abroad for treatment was due to the president’s longstanding medical relationship overseas.
He stated that Buhari never tried to disrespect Nigeria’s medical practice because he always believed in the quality of our doctors.
“I think it is wrong to assume that he fenced himself off from the Nigerian medical system, He had a Nigerian doctor — a chief personal physician and a state house clinic, also led by a medical consultant, a distinguished doctor of many years of practice.
In terms of the immediacy of his own medical needs, they were always present to administer to his own needs.
As for his attachment to his past practice abroad for his medicals, he had an attachment to that. It was not that he was disrespectful of Nigeria’s medical practice or that he didn’t believe,” Garba said.
Shehu further noted that Nigerian-trained doctors work all over the world, stressing that their competence is recognized worldwide.
He concluded by saying that foreign nations can testify that Nigerians surgeons are doing wonders with medicine globally.
“For most people who also travel abroad and they need to see doctors — I have experienced this in America — you go into the office of the doctor and you find that it’s a Nigerian surgeon, it’s a Nigerian doctor,” she added.
