REVEALED: The 93-Year-Old London Clinic Buhari Visited for 230 Days as President

REVEALED: The 93-Year-Old London Clinic Buhari Visited for 230 Days as President

Former President Muhammadu Buhari breathed his last at the Political leaders such as former US President John F Kennedy, former UK prime ministers Clement Attlee and Sir Anthony Eden were once patients at the clinic.e, United Kingdom (UK), where he had spent 230 days for medical services throughout his presidency, on Sunday.

Located on 22 Devonshire Place, London, the clinic is a first-rate private facility playing host to political leaders, wealthy celebrities and diplomatic patients.

On many occasions throughout his eight-year presidency, the 82-year-old former military general made the UK his medical site without publicly disclosing the cause of his illness and healthcare provider. His medical affairs were treated with the utmost secrecy.

Even after leaving office, his medical visits to the country never stopped. After media speculations about his wellbeing, former presidential spokesperson Garba Shehu said on Friday that Buhari had been discharged from a hospital in London.

He died of leukemia, according to Sahara Reporters.

Being the place of his death and the consistent communication by his aides all through his presidency that he was visiting London for treatments, there are strong indications that it was the same clinic he had visited for much of his medical needs while ruling Nigeria.

Political and royal figures, including members of the UK monarchy, across the world have accessed care at this facility.

Political leaders such as former US President John F Kennedy, former UK prime ministers Clement Attlee and Sir Anthony Eden were once patients at the clinic.

Cecil Parkinson, a prominent UK politician, died of colon cancer at the clinic in 2016.

In 1966, David Cameron, another former UK leader, was born at the hospital.

In 1998, Augusto Pinochet, a former leader of Chile, was receiving treatment at the medical centre when he was arrested for crimes against humanity.

Some of the UK royal figures who had visited the clinic include former Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip (husband to the late Queen Elizabeth) and the late Queen’s younger sister Princess Margaret.

King Charles III also receives services at the same clinic.

Recently, the hospital was investigated over a data scandal. In January, Kate Middleton, UK Princess of Wales, underwent an abdominal surgery there. Soon after leaving, it was reported that her medical records were improperly accessed by some hospital staff, prompting an investigation by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the country’s data and information watchdog.

On the Independent Healthcare Providers Network’s website, the private clinic says, “We are the UK’s largest independent hospital with charitable status, treating 195,000 patient cases a year.”

About 155 broad medical conditions and procedures could be treated at this hospital. It boasts of specialties in critical procedures such as oncology and haematology, orthopaedics including spinal surgery, gastroenterology, general surgery, ophthalmology, ENT, neurosurgery, robotic surgery, minimally invasive surgery and intensive care.

It has seven major theatres and six dedicated wards for surgical operations in thoracic surgery, spinal, urology, gynaecology and orthopaedics.

With the clinic’s record of high-profile patients worldwide since its inception in 1932, it is no wonder that Buhari made it a place to be for his health needs. He was just eleven years old when the clinic was inaugurated.

Buhari spent at least 230 days on medical vacations while in office. In February of 2016, he jetted to the UK for medical reasons and again in June of the same year for an ear infection.

He travelled again in January 2017 spending 50 days abroad. Shortly after that, he announced another trip that eventually took him 104 days before returning to face governance.

He visited the UK in May of 2018, March of 2021, March and October of 2022, he periodically left the UK for check-ups.

At the twilight of his presidency, he visited the UK for two purposes: to attend Charles’s coronation and a dental procedure.

Source: FIJ