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She may be described with a woman with a few words, but each time she speaks, she doesn't fail to let open a can of worms. The Nigeria's First Lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari on Monday, 9th October 2017 publicly upbraided the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the
State House Medical Centre, Dr. Husain Munir for the poor state of the
health facility established to take care of the President,
Vice-President, their families as well as members of staff of the
Presidential Villa, Abuja.
She spoke at the opening of a two-day
stakeholders’ meeting on Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn Child,
Adolescent Health and Nutrition held at the Banquet Hall of the
Presidential Villa.
Mrs. Buhari admitted that Nigeria was
unstable in the last six months owing largely to the President’s
ill-health that forced him to remain outside the country for months.
She wondered what could have happened to
a common man on the street if the president could spend several months outside
Nigeria for health reason.
She recalled that she was sick recently and was advised to travel abroad because of the poor state of the clinic.
The President’s wife explained that she
had to go to a private hospital owned by foreigners when she was told
that the x-ray machine in the State House Medical Centre was not
working.
Mrs. Buhari told Dr. Munir who was present at the event, that the budget allocated to the clinic must be accounted for squarely.
The President’s wife added, “I am happy
the MD of Aso Rock Clinic is here. Dr. Munir, I am happy you are here.
As you are all aware, for the last six months, Nigeria wasn’t stable
because of my husband’s ill-health. We thank God he has fully recovered
now.
“If somebody like Mr. President can
spend several months outside Nigeria, then you wonder what will happen
to a man in the street.
“Few weeks ago, I was sick as well. They
advised me to take the first flight out to London; I refused to go. I
said I must be treated in Nigeria because there is a budget for an
assigned clinic to take care of us. If the budget is #100 million, we need to
know how the budget is spent.
“Along the line, I insisted they call
Aso Clinic to find out if the X-ray machine is working. They said it was
not working. They didn’t know I was the one that was supposed to be in
that hospital at that very time.
“I had to go to a hospital that was established by foreigners 100 per cent. What does that mean?
“So, I think it is high time we did the
right thing. If something like this can happen to me, there is no need
for me to ask the governors’ wives what is happening in their states.
This is Abuja and this is the highest seat of government, and this is
the Presidential Villa.
“One of the speakers has already said we
have very good policies in Nigeria; in fact, we have the best policies
in Africa. Yes, of course, we have, but the implementation has been the
problem. So, we need to change our mindset and do the right thing.”
Mrs. Buhari said although the CMD would not be happy that she spoke publicly on the issue, the truth, she noted, must be said.
She stated, “I am sure Dr. Munir will not
like me saying this but I have to say it out. As the Chief Medical
Director, there are a lot of constructions going on in this hospital but
there is no single syringe there.
“What does that mean? Who will use the
building? We have to be good in reasoning. You are building new building
and there is no equipment, no consumables in the hospital and the
construction is still going on.
“Going back to the same health issue in
Nigeria, as a result of spending several months by the President outside
Nigeria, a 40-year-old man, who is still living in his father’s house,
created a state out of a state and that is a major setback for the
country and the health sector did not benefit.”
One of the President’s daughters, Zahra,
had, last week called out the Permanent Secretary of the State House,
Mr. Jalal Arabi, over the poor state of the clinic despite huge annual
budgets for the facility.
In his response, Mr. Arabi had said the
management of the clinic would, among other things, seek its commercialization to address its dwindling fortunes.
According to a statement by the Deputy
Director (Information), State House, Mr. Attah Esa, the Permanent
Secretary said the commercialization of the centre, which currently
offers free medical services to patients, would boost its revenue and
augment the allocation it received from the government.
However, Mr. Arabi had dismissed allegations of misappropriation and withholding of funds meant for medical supplies in the centre.
“I know people will insinuate and give all sorts of reasons because they don’t ask but it will be foolhardy for anybody, in his senses, to defraud a medical centre of a kobo and toy with people’s lives,” he had stated.
Compiled by: Rostrum
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