“NARD President Reacts to Buhari’s Death Abroad, Calls for Urgent Healthcare Reform.”

The President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Dr. Tope Osundara, has expressed serious concerns following the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari in a UK hospital. Speaking with PUNCH Healthwise, Osundara said the incident further erodes public trust in Nigeria’s health system, especially given Buhari’s previous criticisms for frequent overseas medical trips despite massive investments in local healthcare during his administration.

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While extending condolences, Osundara lamented the symbolic damage caused by a former president dying abroad, stating it discourages both public confidence and investment in Nigeria’s hospitals. “If our leaders can’t trust our hospitals, how will the public or foreign investors trust them?” he asked.

He noted that many of Nigeria’s tertiary hospitals were funded with public resources but have been neglected, becoming unattractive to both citizens and potential private partners. Osundara emphasized that patronage by high-ranking officials could have a ripple effect—boosting confidence, attracting investment, and encouraging technological upgrades.

Highlighting the poor state of many federal and state facilities, he described them as filled with obsolete equipment, which demoralizes healthcare workers and drives doctors to seek better opportunities abroad. “We are expected to work with machines discarded by other countries,” he said.

[i]Osundara criticized the economic implications of medical tourism by government officials, arguing that funds spent abroad should instead be used to improve local hospitals and retain skilled health workers.[/i]

He called on President Bola Tinubu to prioritize healthcare funding and enforce policies that encourage local hospital use by public officials. The death of Buhari, he said, should serve as a wake-up call for policymakers to commit to meaningful reform and end the cycle of underfunding and neglect.

Last updated on July 16th, 2025 at 02:00 pm