In May 2019, Sergius Ose Ogun, a member of the House of Representatives, sponsored a bill seeking to prevent public officials from seeking medical treatment abroad. In April 2016, months after his first medical trip to London, Buhari condemned the use of Nigerian resources for international medical expenses. In September 2015, Akpabio, who was the then Senate Minority Leader, travelled abroad for medical treatment after sustaining injuries in a car crash. In August 2020, a former military dictator, Abdulsalam Abubakar, returned to the country after spending about three months abroad for medical treatment. He said, “When it comes to the amount spent on medical tourism, the data available is underreported.

Source: Punch May 20, 2023 12:48 UTC