Abuja: The Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo, has announced plans to introduce bi-annual free mandatory medical screenings for every Nigerian if elected president in 2027. Adebayo outlined his proposed health sector reforms during the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Personality Interview Series on Sunday in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Adebayo emphasized that the absence of family doctors and regular health checks results in many Nigerians seeking medical attention only after symptoms appear. He explained that his initiative aims to shift the country’s healthcare focus from treating illnesses to prevention and early detection. Common illnesses, he noted, account for a significant number of health presentations in Nigeria and could be mitigated through effective preventive healthcare and affordable medicines.
Adebayo stressed the importance of early detection in managing diseases such as cancer and committed to improving cancer screening across the country. He proposed that every Nigerian would have a government-accessible medical record linked to their National Identification Number (NIN), which would also serve as their medical insurance number. This system would ensure that all Nigerians receive text notifications for their bi-annual medical screenings.
He criticized the concept of ‘medical tourism’ as indicative of the failures within Nigeria’s healthcare system, attributing these failures to insufficient investment. Citing Chapter Two of the Constitution, Adebayo asserted that the welfare and security of the people should be a government’s top priority, including access to food, healthcare, housing, and employment.
The SDP candidate outlined that primary healthcare would form the cornerstone of his reforms, with an emphasis on disease prevention, vaccination, and access to essential medicines. He pledged to prioritize the welfare of healthcare professionals to prevent their migration abroad, promising improved working conditions, housing, transportation, free education for their children, training, and other incentives.
Adebayo also highlighted the need for expanded medical education to address the shortage of medical professionals in Nigeria. He promised substantial investments in public hospital infrastructure, including isolation wards and other facilities, for effective infection control if elected.
He further connected healthcare with other national development areas such as electricity, roads, food security, and housing. Poor infrastructure, he argued, poses risks to the healthcare system, and an integrated approach to social-sector investment is necessary. By linking healthcare policy with nutrition, sanitation, housing, and other basic amenities, Adebayo believes his proposed measures could significantly reduce Nigerians’ dependence on foreign hospitals and eliminate medical tourism.