President did not choose to visit London hospital for check-up, he did so on the referral from his Nigerian doctors, the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, has  explained, adding that as a patriot the President would have loved to be treated in Nigeria by Nigerian doctors. Adewole said the President opted for foreign treatment following the advice by his doctors.

The minister made this clarification while speaking with newsmen at the inauguration of Central Pharmacy Store and Maternity Building at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex , Ile Ife.

The decision by President Buhari to travel abroad for treatment has been greeted with nationwide criticisms.

Many faulted the President who has been advising citizens to patronize Nigerian products for ignoring local hospitals for a London hospital.

Reacting, however, Adewale said the President only followed the instruction of his personal doctors.

According to him, “I won’t describe it as a large volume but we still have people travelling abroad.

“One, it is a matter of choice and secondly, there is what is called bonding between a doctor and his patient irrespective of where the doctor is and that creates a problem, the patient may not want to see a new doctor.

“If a patient is seeing a particular doctor and that doctor is not around he may likely wait. You don’t want to be examined by a new doctor, you don’t want to start all over again. It is one of the reasons and you can’t take it away.

Adewole said, “The President is the best person to speak on this, he is our leader but also a private citizen. He is entitled to making a choice which will be influenced largely by the advice of his doctor.”