The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Rivers State chapter, has strongly condemned former presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina, over his recent remarks regarding the nation’s healthcare system following the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Adesina, in a televised interview, claimed that Buhari might have died much earlier if he had relied on Nigerian hospitals, stating that local healthcare facilities lacked the equipment and expertise to manage the late president’s illness, hence the decision to seek treatment abroad.
Reacting to the statement, NMA Rivers chairman, Dr. Diamond Tamunokuro, described Adesina’s comments as “deeply disrespectful and insulting to millions of Nigerians who depend on the nation’s health system.”
“It’s an insult to hear such statements from politicians,” Tamunokuro said in an interview with DAILY POST. “There are Nigerians who have lived long, healthy lives after receiving treatment in Nigerian hospitals. For Mr. Adesina to suggest otherwise is to declare that the administration he served failed woefully in healthcare delivery.”
Tamunokuro added that doctors across the country continue to make daily sacrifices to improve healthcare, despite minimal government support.
“Rather than mocking the system, politicians should channel resources into strengthening it,” he said, urging leaders to end the culture of medical tourism and instead invest in equipping hospitals and training personnel.
He called on Nigerians to hold political leaders accountable and ask tough questions about their commitment to improving the quality of life in the country.
“Are they genuinely interested in our wellbeing, or are they just feeding fat on the system?” he queried.
Former President Muhammadu Buhari died on Sunday, July 13, 2025, at the age of 82, after a prolonged illness. He passed away at a private clinic in London. His body was laid to rest on Tuesday, July 15, in his hometown of Daura, Katsina State.
