Stop misleading narratives on health sector, Oyo AAC tells FG

The Oyo State chapter of the African Action Congress (AAC), has called on the administration of President Bola Tinubu to stop what it described as “unnecessary public relations efforts” in the health sector.

The party in a statement by its chairman, Kayode Babayomi, lamented that the Federal Government of recent had been pushing what it described as misleading narratives in the media such as foreigners coming to the country for proper medical care, stating that this is far from the truth and nothing but a public relations stunt with mischievous intentions.

According to him, the time has come to question what has caused the brain drain in the health sector with over 40,000 Nigerian doctors practising in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada while only 9,000 doctors are left in the country.

He added that the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) disclosed that nine out of 10 doctors in the country wish to practice outside of Nigeria, noting that these statistics do not reflect a country with a healthy healthcare system.

Babayomi maintained that the shortage of medical practitioners and the lack of basic facilities in the healthcare centres have led many citizens to seek medical care outside the country, stating that there have even been instances where patients ran out of isolation centres during lockdowns due to poor conditions.

He said, “Accessing healthcare in Nigerian hospitals, especially federal and state facilities, has been a challenge. There are inadequate resources, and hospitals suffer from epileptic power supply, forcing patients to contribute to buying fuel. The individuals promoting these false public relations probably never utilise these hospitals for their own healthcare needs. The President seems to always be on the next available flight to France or the United Kingdom for even minor headaches.

“A government that spends billions on luxury goods and vehicles rather than investing in the healthcare sector should not be taken seriously.”

The AAC chairman insisted that healthcare and education are consistently underfunded in the country, neglected in favour of the luxurious lifestyle of the leaders, stating that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government should cease the misleading public relations efforts and focus on real work.

The statement read, “We live in a country where people prefer to seek care at private hospitals rather than government institutions.

“The federal government should establish more affordable hospitals at both local and federal levels, while state governments should prioritize healthcare systems and education over building projects that do not benefit the populace. Local and state governments should focus on projects that impact the lives of citizens rather than those that create opportunities for the misappropriation of public funds.

“Nigerians are becoming increasingly aware of these issues, and the end of such practices is near, as people are ready to show the current administration the way out of office come 2027.”

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