So much secrecy enshrouds the reason President Muhammad Buhari is seeking medical attention in the United Kingdom. However the veil has been lifted on the state of the N3 billion budgeted for the State House clinic also known as the Aso Rock clinic.
Despite the N3 billion budgeted and appropriated in 2016, and the N331 million budgeted in 2017, it appears the clinic does not even have the most basic medical supplies in its stock.
According to an investigation by The Cable, even paracetamol and cotton wool are lacking from the supplies store of the facility which received more budgetary resources than the 16 combined teaching hospitals across the entire country.
“Patients buy syringes and common drugs like paracetamol are lacking. They are also required to fuel an ambulance in the case of an emergency,” an outpatient said.
“Patients admitted in the clinic buy all prescribed drugs from outside the facility. And in all the wards whether dental or surgical they are required to get the material for their treatment, even cotton wool.”
The management is currently renovating some buildings and constructing a new block at the facility, but patients have to go to other hospitals if they want to have an X-ray done.
When called for comment, Femi Adesina, presidential spokesman, referred TheCable to Laolu Akande, media aide to the acting president, but calls to his mobile line did not go through.
Calls and text messages to the mobile line of Jalal Arabi, the state house permanent secretary, were also not replied.