First Lady Aisha Buhari calls for reduction in medical trips abroad after treating neck pain in Dubai

First Lady Aisha Buhari calls for reduction in medical trips abroad after treating neck pain in Dubai

Nigeria's First Lady calls on private healthcare providers to access a N100 billion credit facility from the central bank.
   
   
   
       
       
           
               
                   

Nigeria's First Lady calls on private healthcare providers to access a N100 billion credit facility from the central bank.

               
           
               
                   

First Lady Aisha Buhari called for a reduction in medical tourism and an investment in Nigeria’s healthcare sector, after her return from Dubai to treat a severe neck pain.

               
           
               
                   

The wife of the president touched down in Nigeria on Saturday, August 22, 2020 and spoke of the turbulence that almost imperiled her flight.

               
           
               
                   

“I want to use this opportunity to thank all Nigerians for their prayers and well wishes while I was away for medical treatment. I am well now and fully recovered and had since returned back home, Nigeria.

               
           
               
                   

“On our way back, the Nigerian Air Force flight encountered a violent clear air turbulence which was navigated safely and professionally by the captain and crew of the flight.

               
           
               
                   

“I want to commend and appreciate the courage and professionalism of the captain and his crew, the wonderful gallant service men and women of the entire Nigerian Air Force for their dedication to duty and the quality of maintenance of its fleet,” she said.

               
           
               
                   

                                   

The Wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari. [Twitter/@aishambuhari]

               

               
           
               
                   

Aisha also called on private healthcare personnel to take advantage of the N100 billion credit facility being disbursed by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

               
           
               
                   

She said this would help in reviving the health sector and reducing medical tourism.

               
           
               
                   

“I recall hosting the private health care providers earlier in the year and we had a very productive engagement where the issue of building the capacity of Nigeria health sector was the major focus, and funding was discovered to be the major challenge.

               
           
               
                   

“I, therefore, call on the healthcare providers to take the advantage of the Federal Government’s initiative through the Central Bank of Nigeria guidelines for the operation of N100bn credit support for the health care sector as was released recently contained in a circular dated March 25, 2020, to the commercial banks.

               
           
               
                   

“This will no doubt help in building and expanding the capacity of the Nigerian health sector and ultimately reduce medical trips and tourism outside the country. Once again, I thank our frontline workers and all Nigerians for their steadfastness as we navigate the challenges facing the entire world,” said the president's wife.

               
           
               
                   

                                   

President Buhari and his wife Aisha at a dinner event (Punch)

               

               
           
               
                   

Aisha had left Nigeria in the first week of August to treat a recurring neck pain.

               
           
               
                   

President Muhammadu Buhari, 77, has embarked on several medical trips to London to treat an “undisclosed ailment” since he was elected president on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015.

Source: First Lady Aisha Buhari calls for reduction in medical trips abroad after treating neck pain in Dubai

- gist culled from pulseng