Against the background of President Muhammadu Buhari requesting for extending his stay in London for further medical tests and results, doctors in the country have called for openness about the nature of his sickness.
The doctors said that non-disclosure of Buhari’s ailment was generating confusion, suspicion and distrust among Nigerians.
After 10 days of stay in London for vacation and medical treatment, Buhari, on Sunday, said he would not be returning to Nigeria until he was through with further tests ordered by his physicians as well as awaiting their results.
Reacting to the development, National President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Prof. Mike Ogirima, called for openness on the issue, saying this would clear unnecessary confusion surrounding the matter.
While admitting that nobody was above sickness, Ogirima said, “Nigerians deserve to know the nature of the sickness afflicting their president.”
Also reacting, National President, National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Dr. John Onyebueze lamented that the approach of keeping Buhari’s ailment secret, could create suspicion and mutual distrust in the mind of the public.
The NARD president said: “In a family where a father or mother is sick and the circumstance surrounding the illness is hidden from the children, this creates suspicion and mutual distrust.
“As a nation and country, we don’t need this distrust.” Onyebueze said: “The nature of the president’s ailment should be disclosed.
Nigerians praying for Buhari, for instance, should know the exact nature of his illness to enable them channel their prayers properly. “As individuals, as Nigerians and as patriotic citizens of this country, we empathise with President Buhari and his family over the health challenges facing him.
We should rally round and pray for the quick recovery of the President, rather than make a jest of the situation. “He needs our support, our prayers and everything we can do as citizens to support him.”
However, Onyebueze admitted that this does not take away the fact that we should not constructively criticise the government for improvement and the betterment of the country.
According to the President of NARD, “if the health sector has been given all the necessary and adequate attention it deserves, Nigerians seeking medical attention would not be travelling overseas for this purpose. This includes President Buhari.” (New Telegraph)
Openness is an alien word in Nigeria, even when it’s constitutionally recorded,it becomes discretionary. A lesson to learn for the future. Nevertheless, the President has a right to privacy as a private citizen – he was a citizen and a human being before becoming the president. At 74, he must have miscellaneous health issues associated with the ageing process, if not anything profound to warrant secrecy. However, for the inspiration, pledges made, and love of the majority of Nigerians, we deserve to know something beyond 3rd party briefings.Is he in a position to address the nation authentically to dispel rumours and speculations? It is not that the Acting President’s statement are not assimilated, but it is insufficient; thus the clamour for a visible e-presence of Mr. President. This puts to bed any apprehension by the populace. Let’s not forget that it happened before, where similar scenario played out and met with similar vagueness. The apple does not fall far away from the tree. The President is hereby wished a ‘very’ speedy recovery. Only an enemy of the state would wish for a transition at this crucial moment in the attempt to overhaul Nigeria’s psycho-social and geo-economic journey.