by Isi Esene

The recent plane crash involving the governor of Taraba State, Danbaba Suntai, and his subsequent evacuation out of the country for a more comprehensive medical attention has again brought to the fore the phenomenon of medical tourism being practiced by more and more public servants.

Today on Rubbin’ Minds, our discussion panel which included Dr. Ojia Adamolekun and Dr. Adedayo Osholowu explored the state of Nigeria’s medical system, the medical justification for these several trips abroad, the moral justification if any, amongst others.

Joining the panelists is Joachim MacEbong, a social commentator to add his perspective on the burning issue.

The program which was anchored by Ferdinand Adimefe saw the introduction of a news segment where MacEbong discussed topical issue like the rumoured arrest of the Oyo First Lady, Ajimobi; the Boko Haram truce; and the Amnesty extended to ex-militants.

On the discussion segment, Dr. Ojia Adamolekun said Nigeria has the potential of being a medical training hub in Africa. Adamolekun spoke about the dearth of adequate medical facilities in most general hospitals.

According to the doctor, “I have worked in a general hospital for one year and it was an experience. It was evident that we do not have enough health care facilities.”

MacEbong referred to inadequate financial planning by the government saying, “The W.H.O. says you should allocate a percentage of your budget to health. Nigeria has not met that target. From the budget, we can see where the priorities lie.

“I don’t think there’s nothing that happened to Gov. Suntai that cannot be taken care of here. I think it’s becoming more of a status symbol,” he added.

Dr. Adedayo Sholowu said there is nothing wrong with the quality of Nigerian doctors. According to him, “There’s nothing wrong with the quality of Nigerian health professionals. Care is delivered not by the professionals alone but by the entire system.

“India was where we are 40 years ago. The first thing we need is leadership, visionary leadership. It’s not rocket science,” he concluded.

Another segment of Rubbin’ Minds saw the interview of rapper, Vector. He spoke on his music career, his lyrics, and his projection for the future.

He said Nigerian music is gradually moving into the heart of the world and he hopes to evolve with it.

According to Vector, “I’m laying my foundation now, when the house is ready, I’ll live in it. It’s better to grow than to blow, artistes like 2Face Idibia and Sound Sultan grew with the industry.”

He assured his fans that he will continue to bring them the best of music and solicited for their continued support.