Dalung Criticises Leaders Over Nigeria’s Healthcare System

By Asmau Bashir Bello

Dalung said the more troubling issue, in his view, is that some leaders return to Nigeria after receiving medical care abroad and continue to oversee the same healthcare system they chose not to rely on for their own treatment.

According to him, leaders who have the authority to influence national budgets, appoint officials, approve policies and determine government priorities should be able to help build a healthcare system that Nigerians can trust. He questioned the situation where political leaders seek medical treatment abroad while ordinary citizens have limited options when faced with serious illnesses.

Dalung also linked the issue to how Nigerians assess political leadership during elections. He argued that ordinary Nigerians generally cannot afford to travel to countries such as India, the United Kingdom or the United Arab Emirates for specialised medical care, leaving them dependent on the healthcare facilities available within the country.

He said the debate should therefore focus not only on why leaders travel abroad for treatment, but also on what their decisions reveal about confidence in Nigeria’s healthcare system. “A country cannot build a world-class healthcare system while its own ruling class remains its least trusting customer,” Dalung said.v