Aisha Buhari urges private doctors to make their charges affordable

The wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, has called on the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN) to make their medical fees affordable to enable all Nigerians access quality healthcare.

Mrs Buhari made the call on Wednesday when she received the group led by its leader, Dr Frank Odofen, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The AGPMPN with some of its members involved in the World Organisation of Family Doctors visited Mrs Buahri to inform her of their desire to partner with her NGO, the Future Assured initiative.

The wife of the President said that the call became necessary considering the huge amount of money Nigerians are spending on medical tourism.

Mrs Buhari advised the group to always expose quack doctors in other to protect and safeguard the health and lives of many Nigerians.

”There is a need for your association to look into or revisit the hospital fees you charge, you know Private health care is expensive, make your charges affordable to Nigerians.

”As an Association, there is need for you to also check cases of abuse in other to sanitise the system”.

She said that there is a need for the doctors to always adhere strictly to the code of their profession and the areas of specialisation.

She also disclosed that the Federal Government was working to establish ten thousand (10,000) primary healthcare centres across the country with a view to boost healthcare service delivery.

The wife of the President, however, said that her NGO, the ‘Future Assured’ initiative is working to establish a functional rehabilitation centre to cater for the children of the less privileged families, who are suffering from one illness or another.

She assured the delegation of her readiness to partner with the group for the development and wellbeing of women and children in Nigeria.

In her response, the President of the World Organisation of Family Doctors, Prof. Amanda Howe, said that the aim of the visit was to appreciate Mrs Buahri`s efforts towards improving the health conditions of women and children in Nigeria.

Howe said that the organisation had membership across Europe, Asia, Africa, North America and the Eastern Mediterranean.

She said that the organisation was working with communities and families to provide medical care in the respective countries.

She expressed her appreciation to the Federal Government`s efforts in providing adequate primary healthcare centres across Nigeria to tackle healthcare challenges at the grassroots, especially the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV.

It was reported that the World Organisation of Family Doctors (WONCA) is in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) on health issues.

WONCA is a global non-profit professional Organisation representing family physicians and general practitioners from all regions of the world; it was founded in 1972.

The meeting was attended by the Senior Special Assistant to the President Dr Hajo Sani as well as former Deputy Governor of Plateau State Mrs Pauline Tallen among others.