Akinola Akinmade, Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Afe Babalola University Multi-System Hospital (AMSH), has confidently stated that former President Muhammadu Buhari’s life could have been saved had he received treatment at their facility.
Dr. Akinmade made these remarks over the weekend in Ado-Ekiti while addressing journalists, lamenting the pervasive issue of medical tourism among Nigeria’s elite.
Former President Buhari passed away on July 13, 2025, at the age of 82, in a London clinic where he was undergoing treatment for an undisclosed ailment.
He was later buried in his hometown of Daura, Katsina State. Dr. Akinmade’s comments come as a direct response to a recent statement by Femi Adesina, Buhari’s former Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, who had suggested the ex-President would have died years ago if treated in a Nigerian hospital.
“Our hospitals have to be able to take care of our people, and we cannot always resort to running outside the country for health care,” Dr. Akinmade asserted.
“It is important for us to develop our capabilities, and these things don’t happen overnight.”
The CMD exuded confidence in AMSH’s “cutting-edge technology and skilled personnel,” stating the hospital would have done “everything in its capacity to keep the late President alive and functional.”
He described AMSH as the best-equipped hospital in Sub-Saharan Africa, boasting a vast array of sophisticated medical equipment and a team of top clinicians, including international personnel.
Dr. Akinmade attributed these achievements to the “visionary and patriotic zeal” of the hospital’s founder, legal icon Afe Babalola (SAN), whose goal is to provide world-class healthcare to all, regardless of social standing.
Highlighting the hospital’s continuous drive for excellence, Dr. Akinmade spoke about a significant collaboration initiated late last year with Marengo Asia Hospitals, a leading medical group based in India.
This partnership, he explained, aims to “deepen surgical excellence and expand the scope of specialized procedures available to patients, right here in Nigeria.”
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Since the collaboration began, the Marengo Asia surgical team, working alongside Nigerian clinicians at AMSH, has successfully completed nine kidney transplant procedures.
The hospital’s Renal Centre further boasts 27 modern dialysis machines, including dedicated units for patients with infectious conditions, performing over 400 dialysis treatment sessions monthly, making it one of the busiest and most comprehensive dialysis programs in the country.
These medical feats have earned AMSH recognition, including an award for ‘Redefining Standards in Hospital Management, Clinical Delivery, Patient Experience and Innovation within Nigeria’s Healthcare System’ from the National Healthcare Excellence Awards Group.
Dr. Akinmade passionately argued that Nigeria can only achieve true independence from “colonisation” when it can provide quality healthcare for its citizens without relying on medical tourism.
“My stance has always been that a country that cannot treat its ailments can be considered colonized,” he stated.
Beyond medical care, the CMD also called on the government to urgently repair the Ado-Ijan road, describing it as a “critical access route that poses a threat to emergency patients, transport and hospital partners.”
He concluded by reaffirming AMSH’s commitment to delivering world-class healthcare, training future health professionals, and driving innovation to meet the real needs of Nigerians.
 of Afe Babalola University Multi-System Hospital (AMSH), has confidently stated that former President Muhammadu Buhari's life could have been saved had he received treatment at their facility.){kind=link}