Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has criticised Nigeria’s health system, describing it as unacceptable that millions of citizens still trek long distances for basic medical services, with many dying from preventable diseases such as malaria.
Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday at the unveiling of the Care365 Health Hub, chaired by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), Obasanjo lamented that poor access to healthcare continues to claim the lives of vulnerable Nigerians.
“It is no longer acceptable that, in the age of artificial intelligence and space tourism, a Nigerian child should die of malaria because her mother could not afford to travel to the nearest health facility,” the former president said.
Obasanjo argued that healthcare should never be considered a luxury reserved for the privileged or urban elite, but a fundamental right for all Nigerians.
“Millions of Nigerians still walk miles to reach a health post. Still, many die from preventable situations and conditions, and still more live in places where the nearest doctor is hours away, often accessible only by bad roads,” he said.
He hailed the Care365 initiative as a potential game-changer for healthcare delivery, particularly in rural communities, adding that technology must be harnessed to promote inclusion and equal access.
“This is not a favour to the poor; it is our responsibility as leaders, policymakers, patriots, and community leaders,” Obasanjo said.
The Care365 Health Hub, a healthcare innovation first developed in the United States, features a Health Monitoring Kiosk – a self-service device capable of instant checks such as blood pressure, blood sugar, BMI, and oxygen level.
Also speaking at the event, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, said the hub would help ensure quality healthcare is more affordable and widely available.
“In healthcare innovation, there are opportunities to create hundreds of thousands of jobs. Advanced technologies provide platforms that enable our schools and health systems to function more effectively,” he said, stressing that digital transformation was essential to rebuilding Nigeria’s health sector.
General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), who chairs the Care365 Health Hub, said the project was a step in the right direction but urged greater collaboration between the Ministry of Health, state governments, and stakeholders to guarantee its success.
“Launching this is not the end of the problem; it is the beginning. It needs support from all of us to deliver healthcare in this country,” he stated.
The founder of the hub, Ngozi Odumuko, explained that the initiative draws inspiration from healthcare models in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, with a vision to make services in Nigeria both affordable and high-quality.
“We are here to support federal agencies and provide adequate care for every citizen, because care for citizens matters a lot,” she said.
Obasanjo concluded on an optimistic note, stressing that Nigeria’s rise must be inclusive: “As a proud Nigerian and an incurable optimist, I believe this country will rise, but that rise must be for everybody – not just for some.”
