Group berates Buhari for approving oversea treatment for Ekwueme

One of the main civil society organizations (CSO), the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR) has criticized the approval by President Muhammadu Buhari that Dr. Alex Ekwueme, former vice president of Nigeria, be transferred abroad to receive medical assistance. treatment.


The approval, which covers the immediate status of an air ambulance for the Ekwueme emergency movement and the cost of treatment, followed a brief president Buhari received on Friday about the medical condition of the former vice president.

However, CDHR, in a statement signed by its National Secretary of Publicity, Barr. Henry Peter Ekine, condemned the president's action; emphasizing that the federal government had once again demonstrated its preference for foreign medical travel by the political class, while neglecting the health institutions and infrastructure of the nation.

The group also requested the resignation of the Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Folorunso Adewole, for his alleged inability to address the poor state of the health infrastructure in the country.

He added that the negligence of the federal government in the nation's health sector amounted to the grave violation of the constitutional right to life of Nigerians, especially the middle and lower classes, children and other vulnerable citizens.

The statement says in part: "The CDHR condemns the action of the President and the Federal Government in neglecting the health institutions and infrastructure of the nation in preference to foreign medical travel by the political class.

"The many trips of the political class, including the president, and now Dr. Ekwueme (former vice president) to receive medical treatment abroad are a clear demonstration that the president and the federal government have no interest in the development of the health sector.

"We charged President Muhammadu Buhari and the federal government for the grave violation of the constitutional right to life of Nigerians due to the poor state of the health infrastructure in the country, which is responsible for the avoidable death of millions of citizens , especially the lower and middle class, children and other vulnerable Nigerians.

"Therefore, we ask for the resignation of the Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Folorunso Adewole."