Group Urges EFCC, ICPC to Prosecute Politicians Traveling Abroad for Medical Treatment
The Coalition Against Corruption and Bad Governance (CACOBAG) has condemned the recurring practice of Nigerian political office holders seeking medical treatment abroad at public expense, describing it as wasteful, corrupt, and damaging to the nation’s image.
In a statement issued on Saturday and signed by Chairman Toyin Raheem and Public Relations Officer Olutola Folorunsho, the group said the trend reflects a lack of trust in the country’s healthcare system and underscores the government’s failure to prioritize reforms in the sector.
“Corruption is the impediment to the growth and greatness of Nigeria. We must fight it with every fiber of our being. The fact that political office holders prefer to seek medical treatment overseas rather than in Nigeria is a clear indication of their lack of confidence in our healthcare system,” the statement read.
CACOBAG noted that medical tourism by public officials not only drains the country’s foreign reserves but also highlights the widening gap between the political class and ordinary Nigerians who cannot afford treatment abroad.
“It is brazen and insensitive for government officials to claim that they have fixed our healthcare system when they themselves cannot trust it enough to seek treatment here,” the group added.
“Corruption is the impediment to the growth and greatness of Nigeria,” said CACOBAG. “We must fight it with every fiber of our being. The fact that political office holders prefer to seek medical treatment overseas rather than in Nigeria is a clear indication of their lack of confidence in our healthcare system.”
According to the group, the practice of seeking medical treatment overseas is not only a drain on the country’s foreign reserves but also a slap in the face of Nigerians who cannot afford to seek medical treatment abroad.
“It’s brazen and insensitive for government officials to claim that they have fixed our healthcare system when they themselves cannot trust it enough to seek treatment here,” it said.
