Buhari’s Death Abroad a Wake-Up Call to Fix Nigeria’s Ailing Health Sector – Archbishop Martins

The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins, has described the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari in a London hospital as a stark reminder of the urgent need to overhaul Nigeria’s deteriorating healthcare system.

In a condolence message issued on Tuesday, Archbishop Martins expressed sorrow over the former president’s passing, but emphasized that the incident once again exposes the overreliance of Nigeria’s political class on foreign medical care.

“His death in a London hospital brings into focus again the need to develop healthcare delivery and facilities in our country to stem the tide of medical tourism,” he said.

The Archbishop lamented that the trend not only places financial strain on those who can afford foreign care, but also leaves millions of ordinary Nigerians feeling abandoned in a system where treatable conditions often become fatal due to lack of access to proper care.

He described the fact that two Nigerian presidents have died abroad in recent history as a “national shame,” noting the irony that leaders often fail to fix the healthcare system they expect citizens to rely on.

“If the First Lady could lament the state of the State House Clinic during their time in office, one can only imagine the condition of clinics and hospitals meant for the ordinary Nigerian,” he remarked.

Martins also voiced concern over the deepening brain drain in Nigeria’s medical sector, with many trained professionals leaving the country for better opportunities abroad. He observed that many Nigerians seeking treatment overseas are often treated by Nigerian doctors who left due to poor working conditions at home.

“The death of President Buhari should ginger our governments to act strategically and urgently to improve healthcare delivery in the country,” he said. “It should also prompt a serious national dialogue on how to reverse the brain drain that continues to impoverish our health system.”

He concluded by praying for the peaceful repose of Buhari’s soul and for comfort to his family and all those mourning his death, expressing hope that this moment would inspire meaningful reforms in the nation’s health sector.