Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday condemned the deplorable state of Nigeria’s healthcare sector, lamenting that millions of citizens still travel long distances to access basic medical services.
He expressed deep concern that countless Nigerians continue to die from preventable illnesses such as malaria.
Speaking at the launch of the Care365 Health Hub in Abuja, chaired by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), Obasanjo described the crisis as both a leadership and empathy failure.
“In an era of artificial intelligence and space exploration, it is unacceptable for a Nigerian child to die of malaria simply because her mother couldn’t afford the journey to a nearby health facility,” he said.
“These challenges are not just about infrastructure but about compassion and accountability at every level of governance.”
The Care365 Health Hub, an innovation developed in the United States and now introduced in Nigeria, is equipped with smart kiosks that can monitor blood pressure, blood sugar, BMI, and oxygen levels.
Obasanjo stressed that the initiative would make affordable healthcare more accessible to rural communities.
“This is not charity for the poor. It is our duty as leaders, policymakers, and community stakeholders,” he urged, calling on governments to integrate the technology into emergency and primary healthcare systems.
General Abubakar, who chaired the event, also emphasized the importance of sustainable solutions.
“This launch is not the final answer; it is just the beginning. It needs collective support to transform healthcare in Nigeria,” he noted.
Coordinating Minister of Health, Prof. Muhammad Pate, hailed the project as “a practical and innovative model” that could create jobs while improving nationwide access to quality healthcare.
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