Obasanjo Laments Inadequate Healthcare Access
Obasanjo Laments Inadequate Healthcare Access
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday condemned the state of healthcare in Nigeria, highlighting that millions of citizens still travel long distances to access medical services, with many succumbing to preventable illnesses.
Speaking at the launch of the Care365 Health Hub in Abuja, chaired by former Head of State Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, Obasanjo called it unacceptable that, in an era marked by artificial intelligence, a Nigerian child could still die of malaria simply because her mother could not afford the journey to the nearest health facility.
The Care365 Health Hub, a healthcare innovation developed in the United States, has now been introduced in Nigeria as a transformative solution to these challenges.
It is designed to transform healthcare access and delivery, including the Care365 Health Monitoring Kiosk — a smart self-service device for instant vital checks such as blood pressure, blood sugar, BMI, oxygen level, and more.
Obasanjo, who was the chairman of the occasion, noted that the initiative speaks directly to the heart of one of the critical national challenges in the country.
“When I reflect on the Nigeria we envisioned at independence, and even more so during my years of service in government, health care was never meant to be a luxury for the privileged or the urban elite. It was to be a fundamental right.
“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 reachable only by bad roads,” he lamented.
He, however, stated that Care365 is not just a technological solution but also a game-changer which will ease access to healthcare, even in rural areas.
“What we are launching today will take care of even rural communities. This is not a favour to the poor. It is our responsibility as leaders, policymakers, patriots, and community leaders.
“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 couldn’t afford to travel to the nearest health facility. It is unacceptable that young people in remote communities go blind untreated because there’s no eye clinic.
“These are not just failures of infrastructure; they are failures of empathy and leadership at all levels. Care365 reminds us that technology can and should be human, that innovation should uplift, not isolate. Technology should promote inclusion and make health services accessible to all,” he said.
He urged the Federal Government, state governments, and other stakeholders to integrate Care365 into the primary healthcare and emergency systems to scale up the initiative.
“In conclusion, as a proud Nigerian and an incurable optimist, I believe this country will rise, but that rise must be inclusive — not just for some, but for everybody,” he said.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, said the launch of the hub represented a very practical, innovative solution to ensuring that quality health services are available and affordable to all Nigerians.
“In health care innovation, there are opportunities to create hundreds of thousands of jobs, not only in managing this but also in directly providing care.
“Advanced technologies provide platforms that enable schools to operate effectively and allow health care systems to function more efficiently.
The cross-cutting enabler of all these pillars is digital transformation, allowing us to organise and use technology to leapfrog our health system to ensure that our people are served,” he emphasised.
On his part, ex-military leader, Abubakar, said one of the things that attracted his attention was medical care.
“This Care365, working together with the Ministry of Health and the state governments, will provide an answer to the problem of access to care.
“Launching this is not the end of the problem; it’s the beginning of the problem. It needs support from all of us in the way we can assist to deliver healthcare in this country.”
The CEO/Founder, Ngozi Odumuko, explained that the hub will make health care in Nigeria more affordable, accessible, and high-quality.
She explained that the initiative aims to leverage technology and innovation to link citizens with healthcare services, drawing on models used in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.
“The goal of this vision is to make healthcare both affordable and accessible, while maintaining high standards of quality. Healthcare is a vital resource for the people of Nigeria.
“We are committed to supporting federal agencies and ensuring that every citizen receives adequate care, because the well-being of citizens is of utmost importance,” she added.
