Buhari to ban political office holders

The Nigerian Medical Association have called on President Muhammed Buhari to ban political office holders and other government officials from seeking medical treatment abroad.

The Lagos Chairman of the NMA, Dr. Tope Ojo, made this call at a press briefing organised by the association as part of activities leading to its General Meeting/Scientific conference in  Lagos on Sunday.

Ojo charged the president to issue directives to the heads of various government agencies in the country  to ensure that the policy takes effect immediately.

According to him, public office holders still use public funds to pay for medical treatment in India, the United Kingdom and the United States for ailments that can be handled effectively in local health facilities.

Ojo said there was a provision for the ban in the National Health Act and failure to do so could amount to a violation of the Act.

He said, “The ban on overseas  medical treatment  should be implemented  immediately if the president  is committed to eradicating corruption. Why should government pay for a treatment that could have been handled in any Nigerian hospital?

“The Federal Government must insist that Nigerians should access health care locally to help generate funds to  equip  hospitals and also recover the billions of Naira that Nigerian patients have paid  to develop other countries health care system.”

The Lagos NMA Deputy Secretary, Dr. Peter Ogunnubi,  also urged the Federal Government to influence the passage of the  Mental Health Bill.

Ogunnubi said the absence of the bill had exposed mentally challenged patients to several acts of victimisation and discrimination in the society.

He said, “Government has not paid  attention to issues concerning mental health even though statistics show that 20 per cent of the Nigerian population is living with one form of mental challenge. If the bill becomes a law, the rights of patients will be protected.”