Buhari Has Over 30-Year Retainership With UK Doctors, He’s Not A Medical Tourist – Garba Shehu Defends President’s Trip

By Edna Wande On Mar 31, 2021

Presidential Spokesperson, Garba Shehu has stated that President Muhammadu Buhari is not a medical tourist following the controversy that trailed his recent trip to the UK for medical checkup.

Speaking on Tuesday when he featured on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, Shehu said the president has maintained a relationship with his doctors in the UK for over 30 years.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, March 30 departed Nigeria for a routine medical check-up in London, United Kingdom.

The president and a few of his aides departed the Presidential Wing of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja for London at about 2.30 p.m and he is expected back in the country in the second week of April.

This is not the first time the president will embark on a medical trip, since he assumed office in 2015.

In 2017, the president spent over 150 days in the UK, treating an undisclosed ailment, while in May 2018, he returned to UK for four days to see his doctor.

The recent medical trip of the president has been received with varied reactions, especially considering the decision of National Association of Resident Doctors to begin a strike action from Thursday.

Shehu defending the President’s action stated that Buhari is wise and quite correct in his decision to consistently retain the set of doctors who have ensured good health for him.

The Presidential aide said;

I think that, unfortunately, there is the misconception of the president’s trip, seen in the context of medical tourism. President Buhari is not a medical tourist — if somebody has kept retainership with medical experts; we are talking about 30 years and plus.

Each year, they view you and examine you and give you a pass and advise you on what to do. Would you, given this position, be changing your doctors every other year, because there is a chance the distance will be shortened?

He expressed;

I think the president is wise and quite correct in his decision that he retains consistently the set of doctors who have ensured good health for himself.

Shehu added that the president is “taking advantage of the Easter season to just go and check up”.