Shettima, Obasanjo, Jonathan Advocate Technology-Driven Healthcare for All Nigerians

Former Nigerian leaders have called for urgent adoption of technology and innovation to close the country’s healthcare gaps, stressing that access to quality medical care should no longer be a privilege but a right.

Speaking at the launch of the Care365 Health Hub in Abuja, former President Olusegun Obasanjo lamented that, despite global advancements in artificial intelligence and space exploration, many Nigerians still die from preventable illnesses like malaria due to lack of access to health facilities.

“It is unacceptable that in this age, children still die because their mothers cannot afford to reach the nearest clinic, or that young people in rural areas go blind untreated because there is no eye clinic within hundreds of miles,” Obasanjo said. “Healthcare was never meant to be a luxury for the privileged. It is a fundamental right for every Nigerian  from the farmer in Ogbomosho to the teacher in Birnin Kebbi.”

He described Care365 as a “game-changer” a smart kiosk equipped with diagnostic tools, artificial intelligence, and telemedicine connectivity designed to bring affordable, year-round healthcare even to the most remote areas.

Former Head of State and Care365 Chairman, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, also decried Nigeria’s poor health infrastructure but praised recent efforts to improve the system. He said the Care365 model, which combines telemedicine, preventive care, AI-driven diagnostics, and community health services, represents a practical response to decades of underinvestment.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan urged Nigerian youths to harness their technological skills for innovation that will advance the health sector and the country at large, rather than engaging in activities that harm the nation’s image.

Vice President Kashim Shettima, represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Health, Mrs. Uju Abuja, said the launch showed Nigeria’s readiness to leverage digital innovation to fast-track universal health coverage.

Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, added that Care365 comes at a time when technology is reshaping healthcare globally, stressing that the success of the initiative would be measured by “lives saved and dignity restored.”

The CEO and founder of Care365, Ngozi Joseph Odumuko, explained that the initiative, developed in the United States, aims to make healthcare affordable and accessible for all Nigerians.

“This is about bridging gaps in access, affordability, and quality care,” Odumuko said. “Every Nigerian deserves healthcare not occasionally, not only when they can afford it, but every single day.”