Abuja, Nigeria — Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday condemned the state of healthcare in Nigeria, lamenting that millions of citizens still trek long distances to access medical services, with many losing their lives to preventable conditions.
He described it as unacceptable that, in an era defined by artificial intelligence, a Nigerian child could still die of malaria simply because her mother could not afford the trip to the nearest health facility.
He said this at the unveiling of Care365 Health Hub, chaired by a former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), in Abuja.
The hub is a transformative healthcare innovation conceived in the United States and now launched in Nigeria. 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, healthcare 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 that 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 represents a very practical, innovative solution to ensuring that quality health services are available and affordable to all Nigerians.
“In healthcare 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 healthcare systems to function more efficiently. The cross-cutting enabler of all these pillars is digital transformation, allowing us to organize and use technology to leapfrog our health system to ensure that our people are served,” he emphasized.
A former Head of State and Chairman of the Care365 Health Hub, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), said one of the things that attracts his attention is 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 healthcare in Nigeria more affordable, accessible, and high-quality.
She said the plan involves using technology and innovation to connect citizens with care, similar to systems used in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.
“The reason for this vision is to make healthcare both affordable and accessible, while ensuring quality. Healthcare is valuable to the citizens of Nigeria.
“We are here to support the federal agencies and to provide adequate care for every citizen, because care for citizens matters a lot,” she said.
Margret Oshinowo | September 2, 2025
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