Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has lamented that access to quality healthcare remains one of Nigeria’s greatest national challenges, despite decades of promises and reforms.
Obasanjo on Tuesday warned that millions of Nigerians still die from preventable diseases simply because they could not reach a doctor or afford treatment.
The former president spoke in Abuja on Tuesday at the official launch of the CARE 365 Health Hub in Abuja.
The hub is an innovation system designed to expand access to affordable healthcare through smart kiosks, mobile clinics, telemedicine, and a pool of specialist doctors.
The event brought together former heads of state, ministers, private sector players, and health professionals.
Obasanjo, who chaired the event, recalled the dreams of Nigeria’s founding fathers and his own time in government, saying healthcare was never meant to be a privilege for the wealthy or urban elite.
“It was to be a fundamental right—available 365 days a year—to the child in Damaturu, the mother in Yenagoa, the farmer in Ogbomoso, and the teacher in Birnin Kebbi. That was the dream,” Obasanjo said.
“Yet we know the reality. Millions of Nigerians still walk miles to reach a health post. Too many still die from preventable conditions. In many communities, the nearest doctor is hours away on bad roads.”
He described CARE 365 as a “tool of social justice” that could become as transformative as the mobile phone in Nigeria if fully implemented. The initiative, he said, must reach not only city centers but also IDP camps, border towns, riverine communities, and the most remote villages.
“Let us not mistake this: this is not a favour to the poor. It is our responsibility as leaders and policymakers,” Obasanjo declared.
“It is unacceptable that in an age of artificial intelligence and space tourism, a Nigerian child should die of malaria because her mother could not afford transport to the nearest clinic.”
Also speaking at the event, a former Head of State, Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd), who serves as Chairman of the CARE 365 board, echoed Obasanjo’s concerns.
He revealed how Obasanjo had personally persuaded him to take up the role, joking that the former president simply ordered him into it.
“I protested that my health was not so strong,” Abdulsalami recalled, drawing laughter from the audience.
“He immediately said: ‘Keep quiet.’ And that, my friends, is how I became Chairman of CARE 365.”
On a serious note, the retired general noted that Nigeria’s health facilities remain grossly inadequate, and that initiatives like CARE 365 provide part of the answer by complementing government efforts.
He urged Nigerians across sectors to support the innovation, stressing that healthcare delivery could not be left to government alone.
A health minister, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate, who officially commissioned the CARE 365 hub on behalf of President Bola Tinubu, said the project aligns with the government’s four-pillar strategy for health reform: governance, improved outcomes, unlocking the healthcare value chain, and health security.
Pate explained that CARE 365 represents the digital transformation needed to make these reforms a reality, particularly by ensuring rural and marginalised populations can access care.
“Through this model — kiosks, mobile clinics, telemedicine — people who might otherwise have no access will now be able to receive care,” the minister said.
“This is an opportunity for our healthcare system to leapfrog into the future.”
The minister added that the initiative underscores health as an economic investment capable of creating thousands of jobs in healthcare innovation and services.
The CARE 365 system, founded by Engineer Ngozi Joseph Odumuko, integrates four components: the Health Monitoring Kiosk, Mobile Clinic, Health Hub Telemedicine App, and a pool of specialist doctors.
The developers say the subscription-based model is designed to be affordable even for roadside traders and low-income families.
Tuesday’s launch drew praise from dignitaries, but also raised expectations.
However, Engr Odumuko, the Nigerian-born engineer behind the newly launched CARE 365 Health Hub, declared that the initiative is designed to bring affordable, quality, and accessible healthcare to every Nigerian, regardless of location or income level.
Speaking at the launch Odumuko, who lives and works in the United States, said the inspiration for CARE 365 was borne out of a desire to replicate the convenience and technological advancements available in Western healthcare systems in Nigeria.
“I am a Nigerian, a proud Nigerian, and also an American. While in America, this vision was conceived, and through God’s grace I was privileged to connect with General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who has been the force behind this actualization,” Odumuko said.
Health Monitoring Kiosks — already installed in Abuja, which can run vital signs checks, invasive and non-invasive tests, and connect directly with doctors; Mobile Clinics — designed to reach rural and underserved communities and A Pool of Specialist Doctors — both local and international, linked to the platform for real-time consultations.
“This is the first ecosystem that truly connects providers abroad and locally, mobile clinics, kiosks, and technology in one seamless network,” Odumuko said. “With this, someone in a remote area can access the same quality of consultation as someone in London or Washington.”
He argued that the system would help Nigeria reduce healthcare disparities and cut down on preventable deaths caused by late or no access to care.
Odumuko also stressed the role of technology in transforming healthcare delivery, explaining that the CARE 365 mobile app could be downloaded on any smartphone and used to book consultations, receive prescriptions, and connect with both Nigerian and foreign doctors instantly.
He urged the Nigerian government, ministries, military agencies, and the private sector to adopt the system and support its rollout nationwide.
“This is about making healthcare available 365 days a year. It is about bringing care closer to citizens, whether they live in the city or in the most rural communities,” he added.
