₦airaland Forum

"NARD President Reacts to Buhari’s Death Abroad, Calls for Urgent Healthcare Reform."

The President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Dr. Tope Osundara, has expressed serious concerns following the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari in a UK hospital. Speaking with PUNCH Healthwise, Osundara said the incident further erodes public trust in Nigeria’s health system, especially given Buhari’s previous criticisms for frequent overseas medical trips despite massive investments in local healthcare during his administration.

While extending condolences, Osundara lamented the symbolic damage caused by a former president dying abroad, stating it discourages both public confidence and investment in Nigeria’s hospitals. “If our leaders can’t trust our hospitals, how will the public or foreign investors trust them?” he asked.

He noted that many of Nigeria’s tertiary hospitals were funded with public resources but have been neglected, becoming unattractive to both citizens and potential private partners. Osundara emphasized that patronage by high-ranking officials could have a ripple effect—boosting confidence, attracting investment, and encouraging technological upgrades.

Highlighting the poor state of many federal and state facilities, he described them as filled with obsolete equipment, which demoralizes healthcare workers and drives doctors to seek better opportunities abroad. “We are expected to work with machines discarded by other countries,” he said.

[i]Osundara criticized the economic implications of medical tourism by government officials, arguing that funds spent abroad should instead be used to improve local hospitals and retain skilled health workers.[/i]

He called on President Bola Tinubu to prioritize healthcare funding and enforce policies that encourage local hospital use by public officials. The death of Buhari, he said, should serve as a wake-up call for policymakers to commit to meaningful reform and end the cycle of underfunding and neglect.

https://x.com/nard_nigeria/status/1944762379620786479?t=C65ELqIAPGsNvtdRyZEbvQ&s=19 nlfpmod

How does the country image in every facet of its national life gain investors confidence when the leaders don't even believe in the country they are administering let alone promote it on the global stage.

Both Buhari and Tinubu promised this nation not to go on foreign medical tourism but renage on their words. This shows gross irresponsibility, lack of accountability and respect for the constitution of the nation

Is it today we have been appealing for a reform in the health and security sector of the country. Just leave them, make them continue hand go meet all of them one by one.

So if they do health reform people no go for again or what?,even the doctors and medical practitioners worst and needs reforms,most of them done want to attend to patients but will refer them to their personal hospitals.
If government fail to build standard hospitals,your association can come together and work out means to provide of draw foreign investors in to the system,but you prefer to go and be their consultant for your own personal gain.who see them talking will think the love Nigerians,government refinery fail but dangote built refinery very all Nigerians Dey benefit today.

iampeterben:
Is it today we have been appealing for a reform in the health and security sector of the country. Just leave them, make them continue hand go meet all of them one by one.

dem jus wan RELEASE PRESS ni jare...
since when naija HEALTH dey such LEVEL

It actually calls for concern, a former head of state, 2 term civilian president and yet couldn’t build a world standard hospital worthy of being used in his own country to treat himself

Every world leaders get treated in their home countries but the case is different in Africa

Things need to change!

A major reason why these leaders travel out of the country and get treated in such a way that is so private is really because of how certain people will choose to use their illness against them in mocking them. Pictures of Buhari on a sick bed in Nigeria, looking so sick would have graced some headlines of Newspapers and blogs all in a bid to tarnish him. Hence, the move to where their privacy is safe. This is one of the reasons.

Of course we need Health reforms.

Nigeria health sector should be reformed completely, at least there should be many specialised hospital withe well equiped and properly maintained. Ibom multi specialty hospital is an example, but not fully maintained...

“If our leaders can’t trust our hospitals, how will the public or foreign investors trust them?” he asked.

If they abandon Nigeria and travel to France or any other countries, when they pass on one thing is certain, they will be brought back as cargo consignment.

It is estimated that his treatment there cost more than 10million pounds. Baba donated 10 million pounds or more in healthcare costs to the NHS. Nigeria go better one day as a United nation or as a collective group of four regions each independently handling its resources

Lanretoye:
So if they do health reform people no go for again or what?,even the doctors and medical practitioners worst and needs reforms,most of them done want to attend to patients but will refer them to their personal hospitals.
If government fail to build standard hospitals,your association can come together and work out means to provide of draw foreign investors in to the system,but you prefer to go and be their consultant for your own personal gain.who see them talking will think the love Nigerians,government refinery fail but dangote built refinery very all Nigerians Dey benefit today.

jati jati just full your comment. All just for the monthly 30k

Osiris12:
jati jati just full your comment. All just for the monthly 30k

truer words cannot be said. Pathetic is the word c

Even after 48 hours, no world leader has called to comesursate with Nigeria 🇳🇬. Omo ...

On a very serious note enh,we suppose summon all the past & present leaders & ask dem where the big money weh dem budget for hospitals deh🤔

We deh hear billions of dollars deh fly left,right & centre yet Nigeria nor get 1 world class hospital 🤔

E don reach time weh this nonsense must stop.

Most Nigerian elected politicians and their cronies don't even have faith in the health system they claim to have invested massively in.

Coming to London to waste public funds in search of high quality medical care, will remain a reflection of Buhari’s failed presidency.

The multiple loans Chief Buhari borrowed and misused are more than enough to build Nigeria the best medical system facility in Africa.
Still, Tinubu lied to his supporters that Buhari was the best thing to happen to His people and they accepted it.

Yet Abdulsalami shamelessly said he was in the same clinic with buhari when he passed away, they can not reform the country's health care sector they prefer running to foreign countries for treatment and this same doctor's are mostly from Nigeria and Africa. 🌍

Africa needs to wake up
Nigeria needs to wake up
This is a slap on the face of Nigerians, Giant of Africa without a purpose

Lanretoye:
So if they do health reform people no go for again or what?,even the doctors and medical practitioners worst and needs reforms,most of them done want to attend to patients but will refer them to their personal hospitals.
If government fail to build standard hospitals,your association can come together and work out means to provide of draw foreign investors in to the system,but you prefer to go and be their consultant for your own personal gain.who see them talking will think the love Nigerians,government refinery fail but dangote built refinery very all Nigerians Dey benefit today.

See how you are comfortably rationalizing poor leadership, why should government fail to build standard hospitals for themselves and fellow Nigerians?

Truly, for some of you, your minds cannot process that providing quality public healthcare system is the responsibility of the government and you see nothing wrong when these same politicians travel abroad for their medical care.

I just assumed the same quality healthcare facilities these politicians are traveling for are also available in the country, with well paid doctors... He might have probably survived.

Osiris12:
jati jati just full your comment. All just for the monthly 30k

jatijati full there but if you die,you die be that,no government excuse in the grave…if your father is not rich,is that an excuse for you to be poor?.you know that the government is not responsible,yet you factorize your success on the same irresponsible government.continue to Dey blame government.

I believe our leaders are not setting good examples by always running abroad for medical treatment.

It does not show patriotism at all.

Lanretoye:
jatijati full there but if you die,you die be that,no government excuse in the grave…if your father is not rich,is that an excuse for you to be poor?.you know that the government is not responsible,yet you factorize your success on the same irresponsible government.continue to Dey blame government.

continue supporting an administration stopping your parents, uncles and aunties from reaching their full potential with demonic economic policies . Middle class is gone now

Ur eye go clear

Problems in the health sector with doctors started with Buhari

In 1984 doctors went on strike

Buhari sent soldiers to evict the doctors and their families from their residential quarters giving them 48 hours to quit
HE PROSCRIBED THE NARD AND NMA

I have spoken to many doctors who were medical students and who witnessed the humiliation of their seniors

That was a turning point when many realized they will never practise in Nigeria

Japa started in the medical profession a LOOOOONG time ago

doctors are not loud the let their actions talk which is graduate and leave

Is is not a disgrace that the same Buhari in his old age is also shamelessly going abroad to die in foreign hospitals

CHAT GPT ON BUHARI


In 1984, during General Muhammadu Buhari’s military regime, Nigerian doctors—represented by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD)—went on a nationwide strike. Their demands included better facilities, fair call duty allowances, restoration of overseas training programs, and timely salaries


.

The strike arose after the government announced new policies compelling doctors to:

Pay for medical services in their own workplaces

Abandon overseas clinical attachments

Continue working in deteriorating facilities

Despite some policy reversal, doctors remained firm. The military government interpreted this as part of a conspiracy to undermine the regime


🚨 Government Response: Eviction by Force
According to former activists:




This indicates how harsh the crackdown was.

Buhari’s regime escalated swiftly:

NARD and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) were proscribed (banned) by February 1985
Human Rights Watch

Strike leaders were pursued, some fleeing abroad (e.g., NARD president[b] Dr. Adewole escaped to the UK) [/b]

.

Soldiers were reportedly deployed to evict striking doctors—and their families—from government-provided housing, issuing them 48 hours to vacate their residential quarters. This was in line with the regime’s uncompromising stance on civil disobedience.

✍️ Context & Human Rights Violations
This incident was part of a broader trend of rights abuses under Buhari’s 1983–85 rule:

Strikes were banned

Individuals could be detained without trial under the State Security (Detention of Persons) Decree No. 2

Security forces routinely suppressed dissent and arbitrarily arrested activists, students, doctors, journalists, and unionists

📝 Summary
What happened: Doctors on strike for improved pay and conditions faced eviction and military intimidation.

Who: Led by NARD/NMA, involving senior doctors, house officers, and their families.

When: Strike began in late 1984; doctors were evicted and associations banned by February 1985.

Government action: Deployment of soldiers, evictions from residences, bans on associations, arrests, and forced exiles.

In summary, Buhari’s regime responded to the 1984 doctors’ strike with a hardline, militarized approach, enforcing evictions within 48 hours from residential quarters and dismantling doctors' representative bodies. It remains a stark example of the military government's intolerance for labor action and civil dissent.