Garba Mohammed
Former presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, has publicly disagreed with ex-colleague Femi Adesina over claims concerning the late President Muhammadu Buhari’s frequent medical trips abroad.
Speaking on Inside Sources, a Channels Television programme, Shehu clarified that Buhari’s decision to seek treatment overseas was not due to a lack of confidence in Nigerian hospitals but stemmed from personal preference and a longstanding relationship with his foreign doctors.
Adesina had earlier asserted that Buhari might not have survived had he relied solely on Nigerian medical care, citing the country’s insufficient healthcare expertise. In response, Shehu maintained that Buhari consistently received care from Nigerian doctors during his presidency.
“I think it is wrong to assume that he fenced himself off from the Nigerian medical system. He had a Nigerian doctor — a chief personal physician and a State House Clinic led by a distinguished consultant,” Shehu said.
He emphasized that the late president’s medical team was always capable of meeting his immediate health needs, despite the consistent foreign visits.
Shehu also pointed out the global recognition of Nigerian-trained doctors, many of whom practice successfully abroad, thereby underscoring the country’s medical competence.