The Federal Government of Nigeria has revealed real reasons behind President Muhammadu Buhari’s medical trip to United Kingdom.
Accroding to the Nigeria’s Labour and Employment Minister, Dr Chris Ngige, President Buhari went to the UK for medical treatment to enable him seek a second opinion on his health.
Speaking to The Nation recently, Ngige stated that it was President Buhari’s right to seek medical treatment in London.
He added that overseas treatment is part of the perks of office of a sitting President, former presidents and some judges in the country.
Ngige stressed that the president’s medical trip to London has nothing to do with the sorry state of Nigerian hospitals.
He said: “Buhari has the right to travel for medical abroad for three reasons. Number one, you don’t constraint people on their choice of who will treat them for any ailment or who will be their doctor.
That is number one. You have a choice there.
“Buhari is the head of the government of Nigeria and he has a physician attached to him as per the office. And if he runs test or does any diagnosis with his physician, he has a right to what we call ‘Second Opinion’.
“I, Chris Ngige, as small as I am and a medical doctor, I have been doing a Second Opinion on my health in the last 30 years.
“The third reason is that Buhari, as a head of hovernment, there are certain perquisites/ perks of office and conditions of service attached to offices and appointments in Nigeria.
“Some government officials and members of the Judiciary have in their appointment free medical treatment at home and abroad there. And the only thing you need to qualify for this is to do what is called Medical Board Evaluation. It is in our government books.
“So, Buhari has been doing Medical Evaluation for himself at home and abroad in the last 40 years, even as an army officer and a former head of state. In fact, all former heads of state, by our books, are entitled to free medical treatment abroad.
“So, the thing Buhari is doing is right.”
