CDHR charges president Buhari on affordable and accessible health care to all Nigerians
…berates foreign medical trips

COMMITTEE for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) has charged President Muhammadu Buhari and the Federal Government on the gross violation of the constitutional right to life of all Nigerians due to the poor state of health infrastructure in the country, which is responsible for the avoidable deaths of millions of citizens, especially the low and middle class, children, women and other vulnerable Nigerians. CDHR stated that the concept of right to life relates to the provision of functional health institutions and efficient and accessible health care system; hence the connection between the provisions of section 17 (3) (c) particularly (d) and section 33 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended. The foremost Human Rights Organisation has therefore called on the President and the Federal Government to immediately direct its policy towards the protection of the health, safety and welfare of all citizens and the actualisation of the objectives of adequate medical and health facilities for all persons. The Group condemned the disposition of the President and the Federal Government in neglecting the nation’s health institutions and infrastructure in preference for foreign medical trips, especially by the political class. The Organisation therefore calls for immediate comprehensive overhaul of the health sector or consider a comprehensive inclusion of all Nigerians in a national programme that will provide opportunity for all citizens to be entitled to health care or medical treatment abroad.
In a statement by the National Executive Committee, signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Comrade (Barr) Henry Peter Ekine and made available to the press, CDHR decried the prevalence of foreign trips for medical treatment by public office holders or members of the political class, sponsored with public fund at the expense of majority of Nigerians. Comrade Ekine stated that such prevalence of foreign medical treatment by public office holders has been the single most worrisome factor responsible for the collapse and failure of the health sector and decay in health infrastructure in Nigeria; the statement further states that “the many trips overseas for medical treatment by the political class, including the President and other public office holders, is a clear demonstration that the President and the Federal Government have no interest in the welfare and lives of Nigerians and development of the health sector. The statement also observed that while the political class could easily access and fund medical care abroad, or could easily obtain Presidential fiat or express approval for immediate medical care abroad, just as recently graciously approved for Dr. Alex Ekweme (former Vice President), though a kind and commendable gesture, the millions of Nigerians of low and middle class are usually left to their fate and their inability to fund foreign medical care; thus the rising level of avoidable deaths of vulnerable Nigerians, especially in the rural areas. Many Nigerians have died of simple health conditions, which would have been avoidable. High rates of maternal mortality and rising incidences of child morbidity are direct consequences of deliberate neglect of the health sector and poor health infrastructure. Comrade Ekine continued that in view of the foregoing, the National Executive Committee of CDHR, under the leadership of the President, Comrade (Barr) Malachy Ugwummadu, has called for immediate declaration of a state of emergency in the health sector”.
It will be recalled that only recently, the unions in the health sector, including the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) embarked on industrial strike, only few days after the National Association of Resident Doctors called off its ten days national industrial action. Resident Doctors, embarked on national and local strikes for various reasons. Such strikes have become almost regular in the health sector. Also recently, the Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, was reported to have publicly expressed what is common with health facilities in the country, that the State House Clinic lacked basic requirements for efficient service delivery. The situation in the health sector is utterly worrisome and must be addressed urgently to save the lives of Nigerians and stop further foreign trips for health care.