The First Lady, Aisha Buhari, has said that future presidents and their families would no longer need to embark on medical tourism with the newly-inaugurated N21bn Presidential Wing of the State House Medical Centre.

Mrs Buhari said this when she joined her husband, President Muhammadu Buhari, and other dignitaries for the commissioning of the facility situated on the premises of Presidential Villa, Abuja. 

The First Lady said her husband’s extended stay in a London hospital in 2017 planted the idea of a Presidential Wing in her mind.

She said that with the commissioning of the facility, the health needs of subsequent presidents and their families would be adequately catered for.

According to her, the first family would only fly medical experts over to Abuja to assist their colleagues, if need be, rather than going on expensive trips.

I’m quite happy, feeling fulfilled. Though we are leaving but all the same, we thank God the project has come to reality.

“I have opted for it six years now. I initiated this project six years ago when my husband spent three months abroad, consecutively, 90 days. And it shouldn’t be because we have all the experts in Nigeria. We only need a good platform.

“The hospital that is supposed to serve the First Family is serving like 35,000 people which is quite much. That’s why I insisted we should have a VIP Wing within the proximity of the presidential villa,” Mrs Buhari said.

Asked if the facility would end medical tourism by the first family, she said, “Yes! This one is for the health and wellness of the First Family. They don’t need to go abroad now. They only need to maybe fly in experts to help our people. You know.

“So, no need for any leader to spend months and months abroad because of health care.” (The Herald)