The dilemma of the medical tourist

This is one issue where almost all Nigerians are agreeable on one position. He has no business going out for medical reasons when his doctors are going on strike and when he is presiding over possibly the worse health care delivery system in the world when you are not counting countries at war.

Our health Care sector to say the least is in a shambles. It is a derelict of what it used to be. With less than 150,000 Doctors to 200m people and wages not enough to take home and facilities almost not fit for human engagement you begin to ask yourself if our lives are not on auto pilot.

The Covid pandemic tore what ever it was left of it into pieces. The pandemic like the famed hurricanes that buffet American coast line at the last minute took pity on us and reduced very significantly its strength. It hit us very mildly that as I write only 56 positive infections have been recorded. With less than 200,000 total infections and less than 2,500 fatalities you will see that there was some kind of divine providence at work and not our dilapidated Health care system

So here we are as president of the most populous and impoverished country in the world. With a budget for total health care not up to the budget for maintaining roads in a small county in the US and a private health sector bedeviled by charlatans and scammers who mask as professionals coming down with health challenges that for lack of real information could be from age or a debilitating nuisance needing expert care. What do you do?

Do you subject yourself to your State House clinic with a budget in excess of N3bn but reported not to even have paracetamol or you drive in a motorcade to the National Hospital where you face certain death from the incompetence and hypocrisy that you will face.

This is the dilemma of leadership that must go into the decision to scurry to the UK every time there is a little headache. Do I play to the gallery and face death or do I go out and save Nigeria the stress of major political upheaval if I die on an operating table at the National Hospital.

The only problem is that the frequency of these trips do not really show that any serious thought processes along the above lines where taken. It all just looks like it’s a drop of the hat immediate junket at the slightest excuse. The image makers and PR people especially those funny due that remind me of Tom and jerry mouthing inconsistencies that worsens the narrative.

So if you ask me, the truth of the matter is that every individual has a right to life and must do everything within his powers to safeguard it including jumping on a Plane and running to safety. It would be very ill advised for you as President to now sit down and be taking almost very sure fake paracetamol for whatever illness cos you want to show Nigerians that you are  patriotic and want to be loved.

You will be buried very obviously and we will move on. So a middle of the road solution must be found. While running abroad, your personal experience should drive reform in the sector. Simple.

Anything less will not be accepted.