NEWS: NO SYRINGE, OTHERS IN ASO VILLA CLINIC SAY FIRST LADY AISHA BUHARI
The first Lady spoke at the opening of a two day stakeholders meeting on Reproductive, Maternal, New Born, Adolescent Health and Nutrition held at the Banquet hall of the Presidential villa.
Mrs Aisha Buhari at the meeting said that, Nigeria was unstable for the past six months because of the President's health that forced him to remain abroad for treatment for months. She also added that, what could have happened to a common man on the street if the President could spend months outside the country for medical reasons.
She recalled how she was advised to travel abroad for medical treatment when she recently fell sick. She explained that she had to go to private hospital owned by foreigners when she was told the x ray machine was broken in the State House Medical Center. Mrs. Buhari told Munir, who was present at the event, that the budget allocated to the clinic must be accounted for.
The President’s wife added,
“I am happy
the MD of Aso Rock Clinic is here. Dr. Munir, I am happy you are here.
As you are all aware, for the last six months, Nigeria wasn’t stable
because of my husband’s ill-health. We thank God he has fully recovered
now. If somebody like Mr. President can
spend several months outside Nigeria, then you wonder what will happen
to a man in the street.
“Few weeks ago, I was sick as well. They
advised me to take the first flight out to London; I refused to go. I
said I must be treated in Nigeria because there is a budget for an
assigned clinic to take care of us. If the budget is N100m, we need to
know how the budget is spent.
Along the line, I insisted they call
Aso Clinic to find out if the X-ray machine is working. They said it was
not working. They didn’t know I was the one that was supposed to be in
that hospital at that very time. I had to go to a hospital that was established by foreigners 100 per cent. What does that mean?
So, I think it is high time we did the
right thing. If something like this can happen to me, there is no need
for me to ask the governors’ wives what is happening in their states.
This is Abuja and this is the highest seat of government, and this is
the Presidential Villa.
One of the speakers has already said we
have very good policies in Nigeria; in fact, we have the best policies
in Africa. Yes, of course, we have, but the implementation has been the
problem. So, we need to change our mindset and do the right thing.”
Mrs. Buhari said although the CMD would not be happy that she spoke publicly on the issue, the truth, she noted, must be said.
She added, “I am sure Dr. Munir will not
like me saying this but I have to say it out. As the Chief Medical
Director, there are a lot of constructions going on in this hospital but
there is no single syringe there. What does that mean? Who will use the
building? We have to be good in reasoning. You are building new building
and there is no equipment, no consumables in the hospital and the
construction is still going on.
Going back to the same health issue in
Nigeria, as a result of spending several months by the President outside
Nigeria, a 40-year-old man, who is still living in his father’s house,
created a state out of a state and that is a major setback for the
country and the health sector did not benefit.”
@Punchng
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